., 


m 


WILEY  &  PUTNAM'S 

LIBRARY  OF 

AMERICAN     BOOKS. 


**"•'  <    TYPE  E3- 

A   PEEP   AT   POLYNESIAN    LIFE. 


PART    I. 


RECENTLY  PUBLISHED 

BY 

WILEY    &    PUTNAM. 


BOOKS     OF     TRAVELS. 

EOTHEN  ;  or,  TRACES  OF  TRAVEL  BROUGHT  HOME  FROM  THE 

EAST. 

THE  FRENCH  IN  ALGIERS.     By  Lady  DUFF  GORDON. 
THE  CRESCENT  AND  THE  CROSS.     2  vols.     By  WARBURTON. 
SIR  FRANCIS  HEAD'S  BUBBLES  FROM  THE  BRUNNEN. 
THE  RHINE.     By  VICTOR  HUGO. 
FATHER  RIPA'S  RESIDENCE  IN  CHINA. 
NOTES  OF  A  JOURNEY  FROM  CORNHILL  TO  CAIRO.     By  MICHAEL 

ANGELO  TITMARSH  (W.  M.  THACKERAY.) 
TRAVELLING  LETTERS  WRITTEN  ON  THE  ROAD.     By  CHARLES 

DICKENS. 
JOURNAL  OF  AN  AFRICAN  CRUISER.     Edited  by  NATHANIEL  HAW. 

THORNE. 

LETTERS  FROM  ITALY,  THE  ALPS  AND  THE  RHINE.     By  J.  T. 

HEADLEY. 
WANDERINGS  OF  A  PILGRIM  UNDER  THE  SHADOW  OF  MONT 

BLANC  AND  THE  JUNGFRAU.     By  Rev.   GEORGE   B.   CHEEVER, 

D.  D. 
BECKFORD'S    ITALY,    SPAIN,  PORTUGAL,  AND  VISIT   TO   THE 

MONASTERIES  OF  ALCOBACA  AND  BATALHA— In  Press. 

These  will  be  followed  by  SIR  FRANCIS  HEAD'S  JVotes  of  a  Journey 
across  the  Pampas  ;  WATERTON'S  IVanderings  in  South  Jlmerica  ;  Miss 
RIGBY'S  Letters  from  the  Baltic  ;  HENRY  NELSON  COLERIDGE'S  Six 
Months  in  the  West  Indies ;  Notes  of  a  Journey  through  France  and 
Italy,  by  HAZLITT  ;  and  others — forming  altogether  one  of  the  most  origi 
nal  and  select  collections  of  books  of  travel  ever  published. 


o    Coral  L 
<ff  Fetoti  hnuhoii,  orChanal  I.     1380ft; 


PACIFIC  OCEAN. 

MARQUESAS 
ISLANDS. 


c.  Martin. 


Danger  Pt. 

D.  ij$>    Houa-houna,  or 

/*\eS  Washington  I. 
*"*?         2>43o  ,-u 


Roa  Poua,  or  Adam*  I 
3,900  ft. 


Hiva-oa,  or  Dominica. 

4,130  ft. 


Taouata,  or  Sta.  Christina, 
3.2SO  ft. 


Hood  Lor 
o      Feta  hougo 
1,180  ft 


CapeBal 


Mon'ane,    or 


3,070   ft 


Fatou-Hiva,  or 
Magdult-na.    3,670  ft 


140°  Long.  West  of  Greenwich. 


T  YP  E  E: 

A   PEEP   AT   POLYNESIAN   LIFE. 


DURING  A 


FOUR  MONTHS'  RESIDENCE 


A  VALLEY  OF  THE  MARQUESAS 


WITH   NOTICES   OF   THE    FRENCH   OCCUPATION   OF   TAHITI   AND 

THE    PROVISIONAL   CESSION   OF   THE    SANDWICH 

ISLANDS   TO    LORD   PAULET. 


BY    HERMAN    MELVILLE. 

PART    I. 

NEW  YORK: 
WILEY    AND    PUTNAM. 

LONDON: 
JOHN    MURRAY,    ALBEMARLE    STREET 

ifc^^:/:          1846. 


ENTERED  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1846,  by 

WILEY  &  PUTNAM, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District  of  New  York. 


CKAIOHBAD'S  Power  Press,  T.  B.    SMITH,   Stereotyper. 

112  Fulton  Street  216  William  Street 


LEMUEL  SHAW, 

CHIEF  JUSTICE  OF  TILE  COMMONWEALTH  OF  MASSACHUSETTS, 
THIS  LITTLE  WORK  IS  GRATEFULLY  INSCRIBED  BY 

THE  AUTHOR. 


PREFACE. 


MORE  than  three  years  have  elapsed  since  the  occurrence 
of  the  events  recorded  in  this  volume.  The  interval,  with 
the  exception  of  the  last  few  months,  has  been  chiefly  spent 
by  the  author  tossing  about  on  the  wide  ocean.  Sailors  are 
the  only  class  of  men  who  now-a-days  see  anything  like 
stirring  adventure  ;  and  many  things  which  to  fire-side 
people  appear  strange  and  romantic,  to  them  seem  as  com 
mon-place  as  a  jacket  out  at  elbows.  Yet,  notwithstanding 
the  familiarity  of  sailors  with  all  sorts  of  curious  adventure, 
the  incidents  recorded  in  the  following  pages  have  often 
served,  when  "  spun  as  a  yarn,"  not  only  to  relieve  the 
weariness  of  many  a  night-watch  at  sea,  but  to  excite  the 
warmest  sympathies  of  the  author's  shipmates.  He  has 
been  therefore  led  to  think  that  his  story  could  scarcely 
fail  to  interest  those  who  are  less  familiar  than  the  sailor 
with  a  life  of  adventure. 

In  his  account  of  the  singular  and  interesting  people 
among  whom  he  was  thrown,  it  will  be  observed  that  he 
chiefly  treats  of  their  more  obvious  peculiarities  ;  and,  in 
describing  their  customs,  refrains  in  most  cases  from  enter 
ing  into  explanations  concerning  their  origin  and  purposes. 
As  writers  of  travels  among  barbarous  communities  are 
generally  very  diffuse  on  these  subjects,  he  deems  it  right 
to  advert  to  what  may  be  considered  a  culpable  omission. 


viii  PREFACE 


No  one  can  be  more  sensible  than  the  author  of  his  defi 
ciencies  in  this  and  many  other  respects  ;  but  when  the  very 
peculiar  circumstances  in  which  he  was  placed  are  under 
stood,  he  feels  assured  that  all  these  omissions  will  be  ex 
cused. 

In  very  many  published  narratives  no  little  degree  of 
attention  is  bestowed  upon  dates ;  but  as  the  author  lost 
all  knowledge  of  the  days  of  the  week,  during  the  occur 
rence  of  the  scenes  herein  related,  he  hopes  that  the  reader 
will  charitably  pass  over  his  shortcomings  in  this  particular. 
In  the  Polynesian  words  used  in  this  volume — except  in 
those  cases  where  the  spelling  has  been  previously  deter 
mined  by  others — that  form  of  orthography  has  been  em 
ployed,  which  might  be  supposed  most  easily  to  convey 
their  sound  to  a  stranger.  In  several  works  descriptive  of 
the  islands  in  the  Pacific,  many  of  the  most  beautiful  com 
binations  of  vocal  sounds  have  been  altogether  lost  to  the 
ear  of  the  reader  by  an  over-attention  to  the  ordinary  rules 
of  spelling. 

There  are  a  few  passages  in  the  ensuing  chapters,  which 
may  be  thought  to  bear  rather  hard  upon  a  reverend  order 
of  men,  the  account  of  whose  proceedings  in  difie rent  quar 
ters  of  the  globe — transmitted  to  us  through  their  own 
hands — very  generally,  arid  often  very  deservedly,  receives 
high  commendation.  Such  passages  will  be  found,  how 
ever,  to  be  based  upon  facts  admitting  of  no  contradiction, 
and  which  have  come  immediately  under  the  writer's  cog 
nisance.  The  conclusions  deduced  from  these  facts  are 
unavoidable,  and  in  stating  them  the  author  has  been  influ 
enced  by  no  feeling  of  animosity,  either  to  the  indivi 
duals  themselves  or  to  that  glorious  cause  which  has  not 


PREFACE. 


always  been  served  by  the  proceedings  of  some  of  its  ad 
vocates. 

The  great  interest  with  which  the  important  events 
lately  occurring  at  the  Sandwich,  Marquesas,  and  Society 
Islands,  has  been  regarded  in  America  and  England,  and 
indeed  throughout  the  world,  will,  he  trusts,  justify  a  few 
otherwise  unwarrantable  digressions. 

There  are  some  things  related  in  the  narrative  which 
will  be  sure  to  appear  strange,  or  perhaps  entirely  incom 
prehensible,  to  the  reader  ;  but  they  cannot  appear  more 
so  to  him  than  they  did  to  the  author  at  the  time.  He  has 
stated  such  matters  just  as  they  occurred,  and  leaves  every 
one  to  form  his  own  opinion  concerning  them  ;  trusting 
that  his  anxious  desire  to  speak  the  unvarnished  truth  will 
gain  for  him  the  confidence  of  his  readers. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Sea — Longings  for  Shore — A  Land-sick  Ship — Destination  of  the 
Voyagers — The  Marquesas — Adventures  of  a  Missionary's  Wife 
among  the  Savages — Characteristic  anecdote  of  the  Queen  of  Nuku- 
heva 1 

CHAPTER  II. 

Passage  from  the  Cruising  Ground  to  the  Marquesas — Sleepy  times 
aboard  Ship — South  Sea  Scenery — Land  ho  ! — The  French  Squad 
ron  discovered  at  anchor  in  the  Bay  of  Nukuheva — Strange  Pilot — 
Escort  of  Canoes — A  Flotilla  of  Cocoa-nuts — Swimming  Visitors — 
The  Dolly  boarded  by  them^-State  of  affairs  that  ensue 9 

CHAPTER  III. 

Some  account  of  the  late  operations  of  the  French  at  the  Marquesas — 
Prudent  conduct  of  the  Admiral — Sensation  produced  by  the  arri 
val  of  the  Strangers — The  first  horse  seen  by  the  Islanders — Reflec 
tions — Miserable  subterfuge  of  the  French — Digression  concerning 
Tahiti — Seizure  of  the  island  by  the  Admiral — Spirited  conduct  of 
an  English  Lady 18 

CHAPTER  IV. 

State  of  affairs  aboard  the  Ship — Contents  of  her  Larder — Length  of 
South  Seaman's  Voyages — Account  of  a  Flying  Whale-man — Deter 
mination  to  leave  the  Vessel — The  Bay  of  Nukuheva — The  Typees 
— Invasion  of  their  Valley  by  Porter — Reflections — Glen  of  Tior — 
Interview  between  the  old  King  and  the  French  Admiral 23 

CHAPTER  V. 

Thoughts  previous  to  attempting  an  Escape — Toby,  a  Fellow  Sailor, 
agrees  to  share  the  Adventure — Last  Night  aboard  the  Ship 36 

CHAPTER  VI. 

A  Specimen  of  Nautical  Oratory — Criticisms  of  the  Sailors — The  Star 
board  Watch  are  given  a  Holiday — The  Escape  to  the  Mountains. .  41 


xii  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

The  other  side  of  the  Mountain — Disappointment — Inventory  of  Arti 
cles  brought  from  the  Ship— Division  of  the  Stock  of  Bread — Ap 
pearance  of  the  Interior  of  the  Island — A  Discovery — A  Ravine  and 
Waterfalls — A  sleepless  Night — Further  Discoveries — My  Illness — 
A  Marquesan  Landscape 50 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Important  Question,  Typee  or  Happar  ? — A  Wild  Goose  Chase — 
My  Sufferings — Disheartening  Situation — A  Night  in  a  Ravine — 
Morning  Meal — Happy  Idea  of  Toby — Journey  towards  the  Valley. .  62 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Perilous  Passage  of  the  Ravine — Descent  into  the  Valley 72 

CHAPTER   X. 

The  Head  of  the  Valley — Cautious  Advance — A  Path — Fruit — Disco 
very  of  two  of  the  Natives — Their  Singular  Conduct — Approach 
towards  the  Inhabited  Parts  of  the  Vale — Sensation  produced  by 
our  Appearance — Reception  at  the  House  of  one  of  the  Natives. ...  82 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Midnight  Reflections— Morning  Visitors— A  Warrior  in  Costume— A 
Savage  yEsculapius — Practice  of  the  Healing  Art — Body  Servant — 
A  Dwelling-house  of  the  Valley  described — Portraits  of  its  Inmates.  95 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Officiousness  of  Kory-Kory— His  Devotion— A  Bath  in  the  Stream- 
Want  of  Refinement  of  the  Typee  Damsels— Stroll  with  Mehevi— 
A  Typee  Highway — The  Taboo  Groves— The  Hoolah  Hoolah 

Ground The  Ti — Time-worn    Savages — Hospitality  of  Mehevi — 

Midnight  Misgivings — Adventure  in  the  Dark — Distinguished  Honors 
paid  to  the  Visitors — Strange  Procession  and  Return  to  the  House 
of  Marheyo HI 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Attempt  to  procure  relief  from  Nukuheva — Perilous  Adventure  of 
Toby  in  the  Happar  Mountains— Eloquence  of  Kory-Kory 123 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

A  great  Event  happens  in  the  Valley— The  Island  Telegraph— Some 
thing  befalls  Toby— Fayaway  displays  a  tender  Heart— Melancholy 
Reflections— Mysterious  conduct  of  the  Islanders— Devotion  of 
Kory-Kory— A  rural  couch— A  Luxury— Kory-Kory  strikes  a  Light 
a  la  Typee 132 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XV 

Kindness  of  Marheyo  and  the  rest  of  the  Islanders— A  full  Descrip 
tion  of  the  Bread-fruit  Tree — Different  Modes  of  preparing  the 
Fruit 143 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Melancholy  condition — Occurrence  at  the  Ti — Anecdote  of  Marheyo — 
Shaving  the  Head  of  a  Warrior 149 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Improvement  in  Health  and  Spirits— Felicity  of  the  Typees — Their 
enjoyments  compared  with  those  of  more  enlightened  Communities — 
Comparative  Wickedness  of  civilized  and  unenlightened  People — A 
Skirmish  in  the  Mountain  with  the  Warriors  of  Happar 156 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Swimming  in  company  with  the  Girls  of  the  Valley — A  Canoe — Effects 
of  the  Taboo— A  pleasure  Excursion  on  the  Pond— Beautiful  freak 
of  Fayaway — Mantua-making — A  Stranger  arrives  in  the  Valley — His 
mysterious  conduct — Native  Oratory — The  Interview — Its  Results — 
Departure  of  the  Stranger 167 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Reflections  after  Marnoo's  Departure — Battle  of  the  Pop-guns — Strange 
conceit  of  Marheyo — Process  of  making  Tappa 183 

CHAPTER  XX. 

History  of  a  day  as  usually  spent  in  the  Typee  Valley — Dances  of  the 
Marquesan  Girls 191 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

The  Spring  of  Arva  Wai — Remarkable  Monumental  Remains — Some 
ideas  with  regard  to  the  History  of  the  Pi-Pis  found  in  the  Valley...  19G 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

Preparation  for  a  Grand  Festival  in  the  Valley — Strange  doings  in  the 
Taboo  Groves — Monument  of  Calabashes — Gala  costume  of  the  Ty 
pee  damsels — Departure  for  the  Festival 201 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
The  Feast  of  Calabashes 208 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Ideas  suggested  by  the  Feast  of  Calabashes — Inaccuracy  of  certain  pub 
lished  Accounts  of  the  Islands — A  Reason —  Neglected  State  of  Hea 
thenism  in  the  Valley — Effigy  of  a  Dead  Warrior — A  singular  Super- 


xiv  CONTENTS. 


stition — The  Priest  Kolory  and  the  God  Moa  Artua — Amazing  Reli 
gious  Observance — A  dilapidated  Shrine — Kory-Kory  and  the  Idol — 
An  Inference 216 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

General  Information  gathered  at  the  Festival — Personal  Beauty  of  the 
Typees — Their  Superiority  over  the  Inhabitants  of  the  other  Islands 
— Diversity  of  Complexion — A  Vegetable  Cosmetic  and  Ointment — 
Testimony  of  Voyagers  to  the  uncommon  Beauty  of  the  Marquesas — 
Few  Evidences  of  Intercourse  with  Civilized  Beings — Dilapidated 
Musket — Primitive  Simplicity  of  Government — Regal  Dignity  of  Me- 
hevi 230 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

King  Mehevi — Allusion  to  his  Hawiian  Majesty — Conduct  of  Marheyo 
and  Mehevi  in  certain  delicate  matters — Peculiar  system  of  Mar 
riage — Number  of  Population — Uniformity— Embalming — Places  of 
Sepulture — Funeral  obsequies  at  Nukuheva — Number  of  Inhabitants 
in  Typee — Location  of  the  Dwellings— Happiness  enjoyed  in  the 
Valley — A  Warning — Some  ideas  with  regard  to  the  Civilisation  of 
the  Islands — Reference  to  the  present  state  of  the  Hawiians — Story 
of  a  Missionary's  Wife — Fashionable  Equipages  at  Oahu— Reflec 
tions 240 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 
The  Social  Condition  and  General  Character  of  the  Typees 255 

CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

Fishing  Parties — Mode  of  distributing  the  Fish — Midnight  Banquet 
— Time-keeping  Tapers — Unceremonious  style  of  eating  the  Fish. .  263 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Natural  History  of  the  Valley— Golden  Lizards— Tameness  of  the  Birds 
— Mosquitos— Flies— Dogs — A  solitary  Cat— The  Climate— The  Co 
coa-nut  Tree — Singular  mode  of  climbing  it — An  agile  young  Chief 
—Fearlessness  of  the  Children— Too-Too  and  the  Cocoa-nut  Tree — 
The  Birds  of  the  Valley 268 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

A  Professor  of  the  Fine  Arts — His  Persecutions — Something  about 
Tattooing  and  Tabooing — Two  Anecdotes  in  illustration  of  the  lat 
ter—A  few  thoughts  on  the  Typee  Dialect 276 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

Strange  custom  of  the  Islanders — Their  Chanting,  and  the  peculiarity 
of  their  Voice — Rapture  of  the  King  at  first  hearing  a  Song— A 


CONTENTS.  xv 


new  Dignity  conferred  on  the  Author — Musical  Instruments  in  the 
Valley — Admiration  of  the  Savages  at  beholding  a  Pugilistic  Per 
formance — Swimming  Infant — Beautiful  Tresses  of  the  Girls — Oint 
ment  for  the  Hair 287 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

Apprehensions  of  Evil — Frightful  Discovery — Some  remarks  on  Can 
nibalism — Second  Battle  with  the  Happars — Savage  Spectacle — 
Mysterious  Feast — Subsequent  Disclosures 293 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

The  Stranger  again  arrives  in  the  Valley — Singular  Interview  with 
him — Attempt  to  Escape — Failure — Melancholy  Situation — Sympa 
thy  of  Marheyo 304 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 
The  Escape 310 

APPENDIX. 
Provisional  cession  of  the  Sandwich  Islands  to  Lord  Geo.  Paulet.  321 


RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS, 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Sea — Longings  for  Shore — A  Land-sick  Ship — Destination  of  the 
Voyagers — The  Marquesas — Adventure  of  a  Missionary's  Wife  among 
the  Savages — Characteristic  Anecdote  of  the  Queen  of  Nukuheva. 

Six  months  at  sea  !  Yes,  reader,  as  I  live,  six  months  out  of 
sight  of  land ;  cruising  after  the  sperm-whale  beneath  the  scorch 
ing  sun  of  the  Line,  and  tossed  on  the  billows  of  the  wide-rolling 
Pacific — the  sky  above,  the  sea  around,  and  nothing  else  ! 
Weeks  and  weeks  ago  our  fresh  provisions  were  all  exhausted. 
There  is  not  a  sweet  potato  left ;  not  a  single  yam.  Those  glo 
rious  bunches  of  bananas  which  once  decorated  our  stern  and 
quarter-deck,  have,  alas,  disappeared  !  and  the  delicious  oranges 
which  hung  suspended  from  our  tops  and  stays — they,  too,  are 
gone !  Yes,  they  are  all  departed,  and  there  is  nothing  left  us 
but  salt-horse  and  sea-biscuit.  Oh  !  ye  state-room  sailors,  who 
make  so  much  ado  about  a  fourteen  days'  passage  across  the 
Atlantic  ;  who  so  pathetically  relate  the  privations  and  hardships 
of  the  sea,  where,  after  a  day  of  breakfasting,  lunching,  dining 
off  five  courses,  chatting,  playing  whist,  and  drinking  champaign- 
punch,  it  was  your  hard  lot  to  be  shut  up  in  little  cabinets  of  ma 
hogany  and  maple,  and  sleep  for  ten  hours,  with  nothing  to  disturb 
2 


2  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  i. 

you  but  "  those  good-for-nothing  tars,  shouting  and  tramping  over 
head,'3 — what  would  ye  say  to  our  six  months  out  of  sight  of  land  ? 

Oh  !  for  a  refreshing  glimpse  of  one  blade  of  grass — for  a  snuff 
at  the  fragrance  of  a  handful  of  the  loamy  earth !  Is  there 
nothing  fresh  around  us  ?  Is  there  no  green  thing  to  be  seen  ? 
Yes,  the  inside  of  our  bulwarks  is  painted  green ;  but  what  a 
vile  and  sickly  hue  it  is,  as  if  nothing  bearing  even  the  semblance 
of  verdure  could  flourish  this  weary  way  from  land.  Even  the 
bark  that  once  clung  to  the  wood  we  use  for  fuel  has  been  gnawed 
off  and  devoured  by  the  captain's  pig  ;  and  so  long  ago,  too,  that 
the  pig  himself  has  in  turn  been  devoured. 

There  is  but  one  solitary  tenant  in  the  chicken-coop,  once  a 
gay  and  dapper  young  cock,  bearing  him  so  bravely  among  the 
coy  hens.  But  look  at  him  now ;  there  he  stands,  moping  all 
the  day  long  on  that  everlasting  one  leg  of  his.  He  turns  with 
disgust  from  the  mouldy  corn  before  him,  and  the  brackish  water 
in  his  little  trough.  He  mourns  no  doubt  his  lost  companions, 
literally  snatched  from  him  one  by  one,  and  never  seen  again. 
But  his  days  of  mourning  will  be  few ;  for  Mungo,  our  black 
cook,  told  me  yesterday  that  the  word  had  at  last  gone  forth,  and 
poor  Pedro's  fate  was  sealed.  His  attenuated  body  will  be  laid 
out  upon  the  captain's  table  next  Sunday,  and  long  before  night 
will  be  buried  with  all  the  usual  ceremonies  beneath  that  worthy 
individual's  vest.  Who  would  believe  that  there  could  be  any 
one  so  cruel  as  to  long  for  the  decapitation  of  the  luckless 
Pedro  ;  yet  the  sailors  pray  every  minute,  selfish  fellows,  that  the 
miserable  fowl  may  be  brought  to  his  end.  They  say  the  cap 
tain  will  never  point  the  ship  for  the  land  so  long  as  he  has  in 
anticipation  a  mess  of  fresh  meat.  This  unhappy  bird  can  alone 
furnish  it ;  and  when  he  is  once  devoured,  the  captain  will  come 
to  his  senses.  I  wish  thee  no  harm,  Peter;  but  as  thou  art 
doomed,  sooner  or  later,  to  meet  the  fate  of  all  thy  race ;  and  if 
putting  a  period  to  thy  existence  is  to  be  the  signal  for  our  deli- 


CHAP,  i.]          A  LAND-SICK  SHIP— ANTICIPATIONS.  3 

verance,  why — truth  to  speak — I  wish  thy  throat  cut  this  very 
moment ;  for,  oh !  how  I  wish  to  see  the  living  earth  again ! 
The  old  ship  herself  longs  to  look  out;  upon  the  land  from  her 
hawse-holes  once  more,  and  Jack  Lewis  said  right  the  other  day 
when  the  captain  found  fault  with  his  steering. 

"  Why,  d'ye  see,  Captain  Vangs,"  says  bold  Jack,  "  Pm  as 
good  a  helmsman  as  ever  put  hand  to  spoke ;  but  none  of  us  can 
steer  the  old  lady  now.  We  can't  keep  her  full  and  bye,  sir : 
watch  her  ever  so  close,  she  will  fall  off;  and  then,  sir,  when  I 
put  the  helm  down  so  gently,  and  try  like  to  coax  her  to  the  work, 
she  won't  take  it  kindly,  but  will  fall  round  off  again  ;  and  it's 
all  because  she  knows  the  land  is  under  the  lee,  sir,  and  she  wont 
go  any  more  to  windward."  Aye,  and  why  should  she,  Jack  ? 
didn't  every  one  of  her  stout  timbers  grow  on  shore,  and  hasn't 
she  sensibilities  as  well  as  we  ? 

Poor  old  ship  !  Her  very  looks  denote  her  desires  :  how  de 
plorably  she  appears  !  The  paint  on  her  sides,  burnt  up  by  the 
scorching  sun,  is  puffed  out  and  cracked.  See  the  weeds  she  trails 
along  with  her,  and  what  an  unsightly  bunch  of  those  horrid 
barnacles  has  formed  about  her  stern-piece  ;  and  every  time  she 
rises  on  a  sea,  she  shows  her  copper  torn  away,  or  hanging  in 
jagged  strips. 

Poor  old  ship !  I  say  again :  for  six  months  she  has  been  roll 
ing  and  pitching  about,  never  for  one  moment  at  rest.  But  cou 
rage,  old  lass,  I  hope  to  see  thee  soon  within  a  biscuit's  toss  of 
the  merry  land,  riding  snugly  at  anchor  in  some  green  cove,  and 

sheltered  from  the  boisterous  winds. 

***** 

"  Hurra,  my  lads  !  It 's  a  settled  thing  ;  next  week  we  shape 
our  course  to  the  Marquesas  !"  The  Marquesas  !  What  strange 
visions  of  outlandish  things  does  the  very  name  spirit  up ! 
Naked  houris — cannibal  banquets — groves  of  cocoa-nut—coral 
reefs — tatooed  chiefs — and  bamboo  temples ;  sunny  valleys  planted 


4  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  i. 

with  bread-fruit-trees — carved  canoes  dancing  on  the  flashing  blue 
waters — savage  woodlands  guarded  by  horrible  idols — heathenish 
rites  and  human  sacrifices. 

Such  were  the  strangely  jumbled  anticipations  that  haunted 
me  during  our  passage  from  the  cruising  ground.  I  felt  an  irre 
sistible  curiosity  to  see  those  islands  which  the  olden  voyagers 
had  so  glowingly  described. 

The  group  for  which  we  were  now  steering  (although  among 
the  earliest  of  European  discoveries  in  the  South  Seas,  having 
been  first  visited  in  the  year  1595)  still  continues  to  be  tenanted 
by  beings  as  strange  and  barbarous  as  ever.  The  missionaries, 
sent  on  a  heavenly  errand,  had  sailed  by  their  lovely  shores,  and 
had  abandoned  them  to  their  idols  of  wood  and  stone.  How  in 
teresting  the  circumstances  under  which  they  were  discovered  ! 
In  the  watery  path  of  Mend  anna,  cruising  in  quest  of  some  re 
gion  of  gold,  these  isles  had  sprung  up  like  a  scene  of  enchant 
ment,  and  for  a  moment  the  Spaniard  believed  his  bright  dream 
was  realized.  In  honor  of  the  Marquess  de  Mendoza,  then  vice 
roy  of  Peru — under  whose  auspices  the  navigator  sailed — he 
bestowed  upon  them  the  name  which  denoted  the  rank  of  his 
patron,  and  gave  to  the  world  on  his  return  a  vague  and  magni 
ficent  account  of  their  beauty.  But  these  islands,  undisturbed 
for  years,  relapsed  into  their  previous  obscurity  ;  and  it  is  only 
recently  that  anything  has  been  known  concerning  them.  Once 
in  the  course  of  a  half  century,  to  be  sure,  some  adventurous 
rover  would  break  in  upon  their  peaceful  repose,  and,  astonished 
at  the  unusual  scene,  would  be  almost  tempted  to  claim  the  merit 
of  a  new  discovery. 

Of  this  interesting  group,  but  little  account  has  ever  been  given, 
if  we  except  the  slight  mention  made  of  them  in  the  sketches  of 
South-Sea  voyages.  Cook,  in  his  repeated  circumnavigations  of 
the  globe,  barely  touched  at  their  shores ;  and  all  that  we  know 
about  them  is  from  a  few  general  narratives.  Among  these, 


CHAP,  i.]     A  MISSIONARY'S  WIFE  AMONG  SAVAGES.  5 

there  are  t»vo  that  claim  particular  notice.  Porter's  "Journal  of 
the  Cruise  of  the  U.  S.  frigate  Essex,  in  the  Pacific,  during  the 
late  War,"  is  said  to  contain  some  interesting  particulars  con 
cerning  the  islanders.  This  is  a  work,  however,  which  I  have 
never  happened  to  meet  with  ;  and  Stewart,  the  chaplain  of  the 
American  sloop  of  war  Vincennes,  has  likewise  devoted  a  portion 
of  his  book,  entitled  "  A  Visit  to  the  South  Seas,"  to  the  same 
subject. 

Within  the  last  few  years  American  and  English  vessels  en 
gaged  in  the  extensive  whale  fisheries  of  the  Pacific  have  occa 
sionally,  when  short  of  provisions,  put  into  the  commodious  harbor 
which  there  is  in  one  of  the  islands  ;  but  a  fear  of  the  natives, 
founded  on  the  recollection  of  the  dreadful  fate  which  many  white 
men  have  received  at  their  hands,  has  deterred  their  crews  from 
intermixing  with  the  population  sufficiently  to  gain  any  insight 
into  their  peculiar  customs  and  manners. 

The  Protestant  Missions  appear  to  have  despaired  of  reclaim 
ing  these  islands  from  heathenism.  The  usage  they  have  in  every 
case  received  from  the  natives  has  been  such  as  to  intimidate 
the  boldest  of  their  number.  Ellis,  in  his  "  Polynesian  Re 
searches,"  gives  some  interesting  accounts  of  the  abortive  at 
tempts  made  by  the  Tahiti  Mission  to  establish  a  branch  Mission 
upon  certain  islands  of  the  group.  A  short  time  before  my 
visit  to  the  Marquesas,  a  somewhat  amusing  incident  took 
place  in  connection  with  these  efforts,  which  I  cannot  avoid  re 
lating. 

An  intrepid  missionary,  undaunted  by  the  ill-success  that  had 
attended  all  previous  endeavors  to  conciliate  the  savages,  and 
believing  much  in  the  efficacy  of  female  influence,  introduced 
among  them  his  young  and  beautiful  wife,  the  first  white  woman 
who  had  ever  visited  their  shores.  The  islanders  at  first  gazed 
in  mute  admiration  at  so  unusual  a  prodigy,  and  seemed  inclined 
to  regard  it  as  some  new  divinity.  But  after  a  short  time,  be- 


6  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  i. 

coming  familiar  with  its  charming  aspect,  and  jealous  of  the 
folds  which  encircled  its  form,  they  sought  to  pierce  the  sacred 
veil  of  calico  in  which  it  was  enshrined,  and  in  the  gratification 
of  their  curiosity  so  far  overstepped  the  limits  of  good  breeding, 
as  deeply  to  offend  the  lady's  sense  of  decorum.  Her  sex  once 
ascertained,  their  idolatry  was  changed  into  contempt ;  and  there 
was  no  end  to  the  contumely  showered  upon  her  by  the  savages, 
who  were  exasperated  at  the  deception  which  they  conceived 
had  been  practised  upon  them.  To  the  horror  of  her  affec 
tionate  spouse,  she  was  stripped  of  her  garments,  and  given  to 
understand  that  she  could  no  longer  carry  on  her  deceits  with 
impunity.  The  gentle  dame  could  not  endure  this,  and,  fearful 
of  further  improprieties,  she  forced  her  husband  to  relinquish  his 
undertaking,  and  together  they  returned  to  Tahiti. 

Not  thus  shy  of  exhibiting  •  her'  charms  was  the  Island  Queen 
herself,  the  beauteous  wife  of  Mowanna,  the  king  of  Nukuheva. 
Between  two  and  three  years  after  the  adventures  recorded  in 
this  volume,  I  chanced,  while  aboard  of  a  man  of  war,  to  touch 
at  these  islands.  The  French  had  then  held  possession  of  the 
Marquesas  some  time,  and  already  prided  themselves  upon  the 
beneficial  effects  of  their  jurisdiction,  as  discernible  in  the  de 
portment  of  the  natives.  To  be  sure,  in  one  of  their  efforts  at 
reform  they  had  slaughtered  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  of  them 
at  Whitihoo— but  let  that  pass.  At  the  time  I  mention,  the 
French  squadron  was  rendezvousing  in  the  bay  of  Nukuheva, 
and  during  an  interview  between  one  of  their  captains  and  our 
worthy  Commodore,  it  was  suggested  by  the  former,  that  we,  as 
the  flag-ship  of  the  American  squadron,  should  receive,  in  state, 
a  visit  from  the  royal  pair.  The  French  officer  likewise  repre 
sented,  with  evident  satisfaction,  that  under  their  tuition  the 
king  and  queen  had  imbibed  proper  notions  of  their  elevated 
station,  and  on  all  ceremonious  occasions  conducted  themselves 


CHAP.  T.]  VISIT  FROM  THE  QUEEN. 


with  suitable  dignity.  Accordingly,  preparations  were  made  to 
give  their  majesties  a  reception  on  board  in  a  style  corresponding 
with  their  rank. 

One  bright  afternoon,  a  gig,  gaily  bedizened  with  streamers, 
was  observed  to  shove  off  from  the  side  of  one  of  the  French 
frigates,  and  pull  directly  for  our  gangway.  In  the  stern  sheets 
reclined  Mowanna  and  his  consort.  As  they  approached,  we  paid 
them  all  the  honors  due  to  royalty ; — manning  our  yards,  firing  a 
salute,  and  making  a  prodigious  hubbub. 

They  ascended  the  accommodation  ladder,  were  greeted  by  the 
Commodore,  hat  in  hand,  and  passing  along  the  quarter-deck,  the 
marine  guard  presented  arms,  while  the  band  struck  up  "  The 
king  of  the  Cannibal  Islands."  So  far  all  went  well.  The  French 
officers  grimaced  and  smiled  in  exceedingly  high  spirits,  wonder 
fully  pleased  with  the  discreet  manner  in  which  these  distinguished 
personages  behaved  themselves. 

Their  appearance  was  certainly  calculated  to  produce  an  effect. 
His  majesty  was  arrayed  in  a  magnificent  military  uniform,  stiff 
with  gold  lace  and  embroidery,  while  his  shaven  crown  was  con 
cealed  by  a  huge  chapeau  bras,  waving  with  ostrich  plumes. 
There  was  one  slight  blemish,  however,  in  his  appearance.  A  broad 
patch  of  tatooing  stretched  completely  across  his  face,  in  a  line 
with  his  eyes,  making  him  look  as  if  he  wore  a  huge  pair  of 
goggles  ;  and  royalty  in  goggles  suggested  some  ludicrous  ideas. 
But  it  was  in  the  adornment  of  the  fair  person  of  his  dark-com 
plexioned  spouse  that  the  tailors  of  the  fleet  had  evinced  the  gaiety 
of  their  national  taste.  She  was  habited  in  a  gaudy  tissue  of 
scarlet  cloth,  trimmed  with  yellow  silk,  which,  descending  a  little 
below  the  knees,  exposed  to  view  her  bare  legs,  embellished  with 
spiral  tatooing,  and  somewhat  resembling  two  miniature  Trajan's 
columns.  Upon  her  head  was  a  fanciful  turban  of  purple  velvet, 
figured  with  silver  sprigs,  and  surmounted  by  a  tuft  of  variegated 
feathers. 


8  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  i. 

The  ship's  company  crowding  into  the  gangway  to  view  the 
sight,  soon  arrested  her  majesty's  attention.  She  singled  out 
from  their  number  an  old  salt,  whose  bare  arms  and  feet,  and 
exposed  breast,  were  covered  with  as  many  inscriptions  in  India 
ink,  as  the  lid  of  an  Egyptian  sarcophagus.  Notwithstanding  all 
the  sly  hints  and  remonstrances  of  the  French  officers,  she  im 
mediately  approached  the  man,  and  pulling  further  open  the  bosom 
of  his  duck  frock,  and  rolling  up  the  leg  of  his  wide  trowsers,  she 
gazed  with  admiration  at  the  bright  blue  and  vermillion  pricking 
thus  disclosed  to  view.  She  hung  over  the  fellow,  caressing  him, 
and  expressing  her  delight  in  a  variety  of  wild  exclamations  and 
gestures.  The  embarrassment  of  the  polite  Gauls  at  such  an  un 
looked-for  occurrence  may  be  easily  imagined ;  but  picture  their 
consternation,  when  all  at  once  the  royal  lady  bent  eagerly  for 
ward  to  display  the  hieroglyphics  on  her  own  sweet  form,  and 
the  aghast  Frenchmen  retreated  precipitately,  and  tumbling  into 
their  boat,  fled  the  scene  of  so  shocking  a  catastrophe. 


CHAP,  ii.]  THE   PASSAGE. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Passage  from  the  Cruising  Ground  to  the  Marquesas — Sleepy  times  aboard 
Ship — South  Sea  Scenery — Land  ho  ! — The  French  Squadron  discovered 
at  Anchor  in  the  Bay  of  Nukuheva — Strange  Pilot — Escort  of  Canoes— 
A  Flotilla  of  Cocoa-nuts — Swimming  Visitors — The  Dolly  boarded  by 
them — State  of  affairs  that  ensue. 

I  CAN  never  forget  the  eighteen  or  twenty  days  during  which  the 
light  trade-winds  were  silently  sweeping  us  towards  the  islands. 
In  pursuit  of  the  sperm  whale,  we  had  been  cruising  on  the  line 
some  twenty  degrees  to  the  Westward  of  the  Gallipagos  ;  and 
all  that  we  had  to  do,  when  our  course  was  determined  on,  was 
to  square  in  the  yards  and  keep  the  vessel  before  the  breeze,  and 
then  the  good  ship  and  the  steady  gale  did  the  rest  between  them. 
The  man  at  the  wheel  never  vexed  the  old  lady  with  any  super 
fluous  steering,  but  comfortably  adjusting  his  limbs  at  the  tiller, 
would  doze  awayjpy  the  hour.  True  to  her  work,  the  Dolly 
headed  to  her  course,  and  like  one  of  those  characters  who 
always  do  best  when  let  alone,  she  jogged  on  her  way  like  a 
veteran  old  sea-pacer  as  she  was. 

What  a  delightful,  lazy,  languid  time  we  had  whilst  we  were 
thus  gliding  along  !  There  was  nothing  to  be  done  ;  a  circum 
stance  that  happily  suited  our  disinclination  to  do  anything.  We 
abandoned  the  fore-peak  altogether,  and  spreading  an  awning 
over  the  forecastle,  slept,  ate,  and  lounged  under  it  the  live-long 
day.  Every  one  seemed  to  be  under  the  influence  of  some  nar 
cotic.  Even  the  officers  aft,  whose  duty  required  them  never  to 
be  seated  while  keeping  a  deck  watch,  vainly  endeavored  to  keep 
2* 


10  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xi. 

on  their  pins ;  and  were  obliged  invariably  to  compromise  the 
matter  by  leaning  up  against  the  bulwarks,  and  gazing  abstract 
edly  over  the  side.  Reading  was  out  of  the  question  ;  take  a  book 
in  your  hand,  and  you  were  asleep  in  an  instant. 

Although  I  could  not  avoid  yielding  in  a  great  measure  to  the 
general  languor,  still  at  times  I  contrived  to  shake  off  the  spell, 
and  to  appreciate  the  beauty  of  the  scene  around  me.  The  sky 
presented  a  clear  expanse  of  the  most  delicate  blue,  except  along 
the  skirts  of  the  horizon,  where  you  might  see  a  thin  drapery  of 
pale  clouds  which  never  varied  their  form  or  color.  The  long, 
measured,  dirge-like  swell  of  the  Pacific  came  rolling  along,  with 
its  surface  broken  by  little  tiny  waves,  sparkling  in  the  sunshine. 
Every  now  and  then  a  shoal  of  flying  fish,  scared  from  the 
water  under  the  bows,  would  leap  into  the  air,  and  fall  the  next 
moment  like  a  shower  of  silver  into  the  sea.  Then  you  would 
see  the  superb  albicore,  with  his  glittering  sides,  sailing  aloft,  and 
often  describing  an  arc  in  his  descent,  disappear  on  the  surface 
of  the  water.  Far  off,  the  lofty  jet  of  the  whale  might  be  seen, 
and  nearer  at  hand  the  prowling  shark,  that  villainous  footpad  of 
the  seas,  would  come  skulking  along,  and,  at  a  wary  distance, 
regard  us  with  an  evil  eye.  At  times,  some  shapeless  mon 
ster  of  the  deep,  floating  on  the  surface,  would,  as  we  approached, 
sink  slowly  into  the  blue  waters,  and  fade  away  from  the  sight. 
But  the  most  impressive  feature  of  the  scene  was  the  almost  un 
broken  silence  that  reigned  over  sky  and  water.  Scarcely  a 
sound  could  be  heard  but  the  occasional  breathing  of  the  gram 
pus,  and  the  rippling  at  the  cut-water. 

As  we  drew  nearer  the  land,  I  hailed  with  delight  the  appear 
ance  of  innumerable  sea-fowl.  Screaming  and  whirling  in  spi 
ral  tracks,  they  would  accompany  the  vessel,  and  at  times  alight 
on  our  yards  and  stays.  That  piratical-looking  fellow,  appropri 
ately  named  the  man-of-war's-hawk,  with  his  blood-red  bill  and 
raven  plumage,  would  come  sweeping  round  us  in  gradually  di- 


CHAP,  ii.]  ISLAND  OF  NUKUHEVA.  11 

minishing  circles,  till  you  could  distinctly  mark  the  strange 
flashings  of  his  eye ;  and  then,  as  if  satisfied  with  his  observation, 
would  sail  up  into  the  air  and  disappear  from  the  view.  Soon, 
other  evidences  of  our  vicinity  to  the  land  were  apparent,  and  it 
was  not  long  before  the  glad  announcement  of  its  being  in  sight 
was  heard  from  aloft, — given  with  that  peculiar  prolongation  of 
sound  that  a  sailor  loves — "  Land  ho  !" 

The  captain,  darting  on  deck  from  the  cabin,  bawled  lustily  for 
his  spy-glass ;  the  mate  in  still  louder  accents  hailed  the  mast 
head  with  a  tremendous  "  where-away  ?"  The  black  cook  thrust 
his  woolly  head  from  the  galley,  and  Boatswain,  the  dog,  leaped 
up  between  the  knight-heads,  and  barked  most  furiously.  Land 
ho !  Aye,  there  it  was.  A  hardly  perceptible  blue  irregular 
outline,  indicating  the  bold  contour  of  the  lofty  heights  of  Nuku- 
heva. 

This  island,  although  generally  called  one  of  the  Marquesas, 
is  by  some  navigators  considered  as  forming  one  of  a  distinct 
cluster,  comprising  the  islands  of  Roohka,  Ropo,  and  Nukuheva  ; 
upon  which  three  the  appellation  of  the  Washington  Group  has 
been  bestowed.  They  form  a  triangle,  and  lie  within  the  paral 
lels  of  8°  38"  and  9°  32"  South  latitude,  and  139°  20'  and  140° 
10'  West  longitude  from  Greenwich.  With  how  little  propriety 
they  are  to  be  regarded  as  forming  a  separate  group  will  be  at 
once  apparent,  when  it  is  considered  that  they  lie  in  the  immedi 
ate  vicinity  of  the  other  islands,  that  is  to  say,  less  than  a  degree 
to  the  north-west  of  them  ;  that  their  inhabitants  speak  the  Mar- 
quesan  dialect,  and  that  their  laws,  religion,  and  general  customs 
are  identical.  The  only  reason  why  they  were  ever  thus  arbi 
trarily  distinguished,  may  be  attributed  to  the  singular  fact,  that 
their  existence  was  altogether  unknown  to  the  world  until  the 
year  1791,  when  they  were  discovered  by  Captain  Ingraham,  of 
Boston,  Massachusetts,  nearly  two  centuries  after  the  discovery 
of  the  adjacent  islands  by  the  agent  of  the  Spanish  Viceroy. 


12  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  n. 

Notwithstanding  this,  I  shall  follow  the  example  of  most  voyagers, 
and  treat  of  them  as  forming  part  and  parcel  of  the  Marquesas. 

Nukuheva  is  the  most  important  of  these  islands,  being  the 
only  one  at  which  ships  are  much  in  the  habit  of  touching,  and 
is  celebrated  as  being  the  place  where  the  adventurous  Captain 
Porter  refitted  his  ships  during  the  late  war  between  England  and 
the  Um'ted  States,  and  whence  he  sallied  out  upon  the  large 
whaling  fleet  then  sailing  under  the  enemy's  flag  in  the  sur 
rounding  seas.  This  island  is  about  twenty  miles  in  length  and 
nearly  as  many  in  breadth.  It  has  three  good  harbors  on  its 
coast ;  the  largest  and  best  of  which  is  called  by  the  people  living 
in  its  vicinity,  "  Tyohee,"  and  by  Captain  Porter  was  denominated 
Massachusetts  Bay.  Among  the  adverse  tribes  dwelling  about 
the  shores  of  the  other  bays,  and  by  all  voyagers,  it  is  generally 
known  by  the  name  bestowed  upon  the  island  itself — Nukuheva. 
Its  inhabitants  have  become  somewhat  corrupted,  owing  to  their 
recent  commerce  with  Europeans ;  but  so  far  as  regards  their 
peculiar  customs,  and  general  mode  of  life,  they  retain  their 
original  primitive  character,  remaining  very  nearly  in  the  same 
state  of  nature  in  which  they  were  first  beheld  by  white  men. 
The  hostile  clans,  residing  in  the  more  remote  sections  of  the 
island,  and  very  seldom  holding  any  communication  with  foreign 
ers,  are  in  every  respect  unchanged  from  their  earliest  known 
condition. 

In  the  bay  of  Nukuheva  was  the  anchorage  we  desired  to 
reach.  We  had  perceived  the  loom  of  the  mountains  about  sun 
set  ;  so  that  after  running  all  night  with  a  very  light  breeze,  we 
found  ourselves  close  in  with  the  island  the  next  morning ;  but 
as  the  bay  we  sought  lay  on  its  farther  side,  we  were  obliged  to 
sail  some  distance  along  the  shore,  catching,  as  we  proceeded, 
short  glimpses  of  blooming  valleys,  deep  glens,  waterfalls,  and 
waving  groves,  hidden  here  and  there  by  projecting  and  rocky 
headlands,  every  moment  opening  to  the  view  some  new  and 
startling  scene  of  beauty. 


CHAP,  ii.]  BAY"  OF  NUKUHEVA.  13 

Those  who  for  the  first  time  visit  the  South  Seas,  generally  are 
surprised  at  the  appearance  of  the  islands  when  beheld  from  the 
sea.  From  the  vague  accounts  we  sometimes  have  of  their 
beauty,  many  people  are  apt  to  picture  to  themselves  enamelled 
and  softly  swelling  plains,  shaded  over  with  delicious  groves,  and 
watered  by  purling  brooks,  and  the  entire  country  but  little 
elevated  above  the  surrounding  ocean.  The  reality  is  very  dif 
ferent  ;  bold  rock-bound  coasts,  with  the  surf  beating  high  against 
the  lofty  cliffs,  and  broken  here  and  there  into  deep  inlets,  which 
open  to  the  view  thickly-wooded  valleys,  separated  by  the  spurs 
of  mountains  .clothed  with  tufted  grass,  and  sweeping  down 
towards  the  sea  from  an  elevated  and  furrowed  interior,  form  the 
principal  features  of  these  islands. 

Towards  noon  we  drew  abreast  the  entrance  to  the  harbor, 
and  at  last  we  slowly  swept  by  the  intervening  promontory,  and 
entered  the  bay  of  Nukuheva.  No  description  can  do  justice 
to  its  beauty  ;  but  that  beauty  was  lost  to  me  then,  and  I  saw 
nothing  but  the  tri-colored  flag  of  France  trailing  over  the  stern 
of  six  vessels,  whose  black  hulls  and  bristling  broadsides  pro 
claimed  their  warlike  character.  There  they  were,  floating  in 
that  lovely  bay,  the  green  eminences  of  the  shore  looking  down  so 
tranquilly  upon  them,  as  if  rebuking  the  sternness  of  their  aspect. 
To  my  eye  nothing  could  be  more  out  of  keeping  than  the  pre 
sence  of  these  vessels ;  but  we  soon  learnt  what  brought  them 
there.  The  whole  group  of  islands  had  just  been  taken  possession 
of  by  Rear- Admiral  Du  Petit  Thouars,  in  the  name  of  the  invin 
cible  French  nation. 

This  item  of  information  was  imparted  to  us  by  a  most  extraor 
dinary  individual,  a  genuine  South-Sea  vagabond,  who  came 
alongside  of  us  in  a  whale-boat  as  soon  as  we  entered  the  bay, 
and,  by  the  aid  of  some  benevolent  persons  at  the  gangway, 
was  assisted  on  board,  for  our  visitor  was  in  that  interesting  stage 
of  intoxication  when  a  man  is  amiable  and  helpless.  Although 


14  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  n. 

he  was  utterly  unable  to  stand  erect  or  to  navigate  his  body  across 
the  deck,  he  still  magnanimously  proffered  his  services  to  pilot 
the  ship  to  a  good  and  secure  anchorage.  Our  captain,  however, 
rather  distrusted  his  ability  in  this  respect,  and  refused  to  recog 
nize  his  claim  to  the  character  he  assumed ;  but  our  gentleman 
was  determined  to  play  his  part,  for,  by  dint  of  much  scrambling, 
he  succeeded  in  getting  into  the  weather-quarter  boat,  where  he 
steadied  himself  by  holding  on  to  a  shroud,  and  then  commenced 
issuing  his  commands  with  amazing  volubility  and  very  peculiar 
gestures.  Of  course  no  one  obeyed  his  orders ;  but  as  it  was  im 
possible  to  quiet  him,  we  swept  by  the  ships  of  the  squadron  with 
this  strange  fellow  performing  his  antics  in  full  view  of  all  the 
French  officers. 

We  afterwards  learned  that  our  eccentric  friend  had  been  a 
lieutenant  in  the  English  navy ;  but  having  disgraced  his  flag  by 
some  criminal  conduct  in  one  of  the  principal  ports  on  the  main, 
he  had  deserted  his  ship,  and  spent  many  years  wandering  among 
the  islands  of  the  Pacific,  until  accidentally  being  at  Nukuheva 
when  the  French  took  possession  of  the  place,  he  had  been  ap 
pointed  pilot  of  the  harbor  by  the  newly  constituted  authorities. 

As  we  slowly  advanced  up  the  bay,  numerous  canoes  pushed 
off  from  the  surrounding  shores,  and  we  were  soon  in  the  midst 
of  quite  a  flotilla  of  them,  their  savage  occupants  struggling  to 
get  aboard  of  us,  and  jostling  one  another  in  their  ineffectual 
attempts.  Occasionally  the  projecting  out-riggers  of  their  slight 
shallops  running  foul  of  one  another,  would  become  entangled  be 
neath  the  water,  threatening  to  capsize  the  canoes,  when  a  scene 
of  confusion  would  ensue  that  baffles  description.  Such  strange 
outcries  and  passionate  gesticulations  I  never  certainly  heard  or 
saw  before.  You  would  have  thought  the  islanders  were  on  the 
point  of  flying  at  one  another's  throats,  whereas  they  were  only 
amicably  engaged  in  disentangling  their  boats. 

Scattered  here  and  there  among  the  canoes  might  be  seen  num. 


CHAP,  ii.]       NATIVES  AND  COCOA-NUT  FLOTILLA.  15 

bers  of  cocoa-nuts  floating  closely  together  in  circular  groups,  and 
bobbing  up  and  down  with  every  wave.  By  some  inexplicable 
means  these  cocoa-nuts  were  all  steadily  approaching  towards  the 
ship.  As  I  leaned  curiously  over  the  side,  endeavoring  to  solve 
their  mysterious  movements,  one  mass  far  in  advance  of  the  rest 
attracted  my  attention.  In  its  centre  was  something  I  could  take 
for  nothing  else  than  a  cocoa-nut,  but  which  I  certainly  considered 
one  of  the  most  extraordinary  specimens  of  the  fruit  I  had  ever 
seen.  It  kept  twirling  and  dancing  about  among  the  rest  in  the 
most  singular  manner,  and  as  it  drew  nearer  I  thought  it  bore  a 
remarkable  resemblance  to  the  brown  shaven  skull  of  one  of  the 
savages.  Presently  it  betrayed  a  pair  of  eyes,  and  soon  I  became 
aware  that  what  I  had  supposed  to  have  been  one  of  the  fruit  was 
nothing  else  than  the  head  of  an  islander,  who  had  adopted  this 
singular  method  of  bringing  his  produce  to  market.  The  cocoa- 
nuts  were  all  attached  to  one  another  by  strips  of  the  husk,  partly 
torn  from  the  shell  and  rudely  fastened  together.  Their  propri 
etor  inserting  his  head  into  the  midst  of  them,  impelled  his  neck 
lace  of  cocoa-nuts  through  the  water  by  striking  out  beneath  the 
surface  with  his  feet. 

I  was  somewhat  astonished  to  perceive  that  among  the  number 
of  natives  that  surrounded  us,  not  a  single  female  was  to  be  seen. 
At  that  time  I  was  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  by  the  operation  of  the 
"  taboo,"  the  use  of  canoes  in  all  parts  of  the  island  is  rigorously 
prohibited  to  the  entire  sex,  for  whom  it  is  death  even  to  be  seen 
entering  one  when  hauled  on  shore ;  consequently,  whenever  a 
Marquesan  lady  voyages  by  water,  she  puts  in  requisition  the 
paddles  of  her  own  fair  body. 

We  had  approached  within  a  mile  and  a  half  perhaps  of  the 
foot  of  the  bay,  when  some  of  the  islanders,  who  by  this  time  had 
managed  to  scramble  aboard  of  us  at  the  risk  of  swamping  their 
canoes,  directed  our  attention  to  a  singular  commotion  in  the  water 
ahead  of  the  vessel.  At  first  I  imagined  it  to  be  produced  by  a 


16  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  n. 

shoal  of  fish  sporting  on  the  surface,  but  our  savage  friends 
assured  us  that  it  was  caused  by  a  shoal  of  "  whinhenies"  (young 
girls),  who  in  this  manner  were  coming  off  from  the  shore  to 
welcome  us.  As  they  drew  nearer,  and  I  watched  the  rising  and 
sinking  of  their  forms,  and  beheld  the  uplifted  right  arm  bearing 
above  the  water  the  girdle  of  tappa,  and  their  long  dark  hair  trail 
ing  beside  them  as  they  swam,  I  almost  fancied  they  could  be 
nothing  else  than  so  many  mermaids : — and  very  like  mermaids 
they  behaved  too. 

We  were  still  some  distance  from  the  beach,  and  under  slow 
headway,  when  we  sailed  right  into  the  midst  of  these  swimming 
nymphs,  and  they  boarded  us  at  every  quarter ;  many  seizing 
hold  of  the  chain-plates  and  springing  into  the  chains  ;  others,  at 
the  peril  of  being  run  over  by  the  vessel  in  her  course,  catching 
at  the  bob-stays,  and  wreathing  their  slender  forms  about  the 
ropes,  hung  suspended  in  the  air.  All  of  them  at  length  succeeded 
in  getting  up  the  ship's  side,  where  they  clung  dripping  with  the 
brine  and  glowing  from  the  bath,  their  jet-black  tresses  streaming 
over  their  shoulders,  and  half  enveloping  their  otherwise  naked 
forms.  There  they  hung,  sparkling  with  savage  vivacity,  laugh 
ing  gaily  at  one  another,  and  chattering  away  with  infinite  glee. 
Nor  were  they  idle  the  while,  for  each  one  performed  the  simple 
offices  of  the  toilet  for  the  other.  Their  luxuriant  locks,  wound 
up  and  twisted  into  the  smallest  possible  compass,  were  freed  from 
the  briny  element ;  the  whole  person  carefully  dried,  and  from  a 
little  round  shell  that  passed  from  hand  to  hand,  anointed  with  a 
fragrant  oil :  their  adornments  were  completed  by  passing  a  few 
loose  folds  of  white  tappa,  in  a  modest  cincture,  around  the  waist. 
Thus  arrayed  they  no  longer  hesitated,  but  flung  themselves 
lightly  over  the  bulwarks,  and  were  quickly  frolicking  about  the 
decks.  Many  of  them  went  forward,  perching  upon  the  head- 
rails  or  running  out  upon  the  bowsprit,  while  others  seated  them 
selves  upon  the  taffrail,  or  reclined  at  full  length  upon  the  boats. 


CHAP,  ii.]  NATIVE  DANCE— ITS  SEQUENCE.  17 

Their  appearance  perfectly  amazed  me ;  their  extreme  youth, 
the  light  clear  brown  of  their  complexions,  their  delicate  features, 
and  inexpressibly  graceful  figures,  their  softly  moulded  limbs,  and 
free  unstudied  action,  seemed  as  strange  as  beautiful. 

The  "  Dolly  "  was  fairly  captured ;  and  never  I  will  say  was 
vessel  carried  before  by  such  a  dashing  and  irresistible  party  of 
boarders  ?  The  ship  taken,  we  could  not  do  otherwise  than  yield 
ourselves  prisoners,  and  for  the  whole  period  that  she  remained 
in  the  bay,  the  "  Dolly,"  as  well  as  her  crew,  were  completely  m 
the  hands  of  the  mermaids. 

In  the  evening  after  we  had  come  to  an  anchor  the  deck  was 
illuminated  with  lanterns,  and  this  picturesque  band  of  sylphs, 
tricked  out  with  flowers,  and  dressed  in  robes  of  variegated  tappa, 
got  up  a  ball  in  great  style.  These  females  are  passionately  fond 
of  dancing,  and  in  the  wild  grace  and  spirit  of  their  style  excel 
everything  that  I  have  ever  seen.  The  varied  dances  of  the  Mar- 
quesan  girls  are  "beautiful  in  the  extreme,  but  there  is  an  aban 
doned  voluptuousness  in  their  character  which  I  dare  not  attempt 
to  describe. 

Our  ship  was  now  wholly  given  up  to  every  species  of  riot  and 
debauchery.  The  grossest  licentiousness  and  the  most  shameful 
inebriety  prevailed,  with  occasional  and  but  short-lived  interrup 
tions,  through  the  whole  period  of  her  stay.  Alas  for  the  poor 
savages  when  exposed  to  the  influence  of  these  polluting  examples! 
Unsophisticated  and  confiding,  they  are  easily  led  into  every  vice, 
and  humanity  weeps  over  the  ruin  thus  remorselessly  inflicted 
upon  them  by  their  European  civilizers.  Thrice  happy  are  they 
who,  inhabiting  some  yet  undiscovered  island  in  the  midst  of  the 
ocean,  have  never  been  brought  into  contaminating  contact  with 
the  white  man. 


18  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.          [CHAP.  m. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Some  Account  of  the  late  operations  of  the  French  at  the  Marquesas — 
Prudent  Conduct  of  the  Admiral — Sensation  produced  by  the  Arrival  of 
the  Strangers — The  first  Horse  seen  by  the  Islanders — Reflections — 
Miserable  Subterfuge  of  the  French — Digression  concerning  Tahiti — 
Seizure  of  the  Island  by  the  Admiral — Spirited  Conduct  of  an  English 
Lady. 

IT  was  in  the  summer  of  1842  that  we  arrived  at  the  islands ;  the 
French  had  then  held  possession  of  them  for  several  weeks.  Du 
ring  this  time  they  had  visited  some  of  the  principal  places  in  the 
group,  and  had  disembarked  at  various  points  about  five  hundred 
troops.  These  were  employed  in  constructing  works  of  defence, 
and  otherwise  providing  against  the  attacks  of  the  natives,  who  at 
any  moment  might  be  expected  to  break  out  in  open  hostility. 
The  islanders  looked  upon  the  people  who  made  this  cavalier  ap 
propriation  of  their  shores  with  mingled  feelings  of  fear  and  detes 
tation.  They  cordially  hated  them;  but  the  impulses  of  their 
resentment  were  neutralized  by  their  dread  of  the  floating  batteries, 
which  lay  with  their  fatal  tubes  ostentatiously  pointed,  not  at  forti 
fications  and  redoubts,  but  at  a  handful  of  bamboo  sheds,  shel 
tered  in  a  grove  of  cocoa-nuts !  A  valiant  warrior  doubtless,  but 
a  prudent  one  too,  was  this  same  Rear- Admiral  Du  Petit  Thouars. 
Four  heavy,  double-banked  frigates  and  three  corvettes  to  frighten 
a  parcel  of  naked  heathen  into  subjection  !  Sixty-eight  pounders 
to  demolish  huts  of  cocoa-nut  boughs,  and  Congreve  rockets  to 
set  on  fire  a  few  canoe-sheds  ! 

At  Nukuheva,  there  were  about  one  hundred  soldiers  ashore. 
They  were  encamped  in  tents,  constructed  of  the  old  sails  and 
spare  spars  of  the  squadron,  within  the  limits  of  a  redoubt 


CHAP,  in.]     NATIVES'  ADMIRATION  OF  THE  HORSE.  19 

mounted  with  a  few  nine-pounders,  and  surrounded  with  a  fosse. 
Every  other  day,  these  troops  were  marched  out  in  martial  array, 
to  a  level  piece  of  ground  in  the  vicinity,  and  there  for  hours  went 
through  all  sorts  of  military  evolutions,  surrounded  by  flocks  of 
the  natives,  who  looked  on  with  savage  admiration  at  the  show, 
and  as  savage  a  hatred  of  the  actors.  A  regiment  of  the  Old 
Guard,  reviewed  on  a  summer's  day  in  the  Champs  Elysees, 
could  not  have  made  a  more  critically  correct  appearance.  The 
officers'  regimentals,  resplendent  with  gold  lace  and  embroidery, 
as  if  purposely  calculated  to  dazzle  the  islanders,  looked  as  if 
just  unpacked  from  their  Parisian  cases. 

The  sensation  produced  by  the  presence  of  the  strangers  had 
not  in  the  least  subsided  at  the  period  of  our  arrival  at  the  islands. 
The  natives  still  flocked  in  numbers  about  the  encampment,  and 
watched  with  the  liveliest  curiosity  everything  that  was  going 
forward.  A  blacksmith's  forge,  which  had  been  set  up  in  the 
shelter  of  a  grove  near  the  beach,  attracted  so  great  a  crowd,  that 
it  required  the  utmost  efforts  of  the  sentries  posted  around  to  keep 
the  inquisitive  multitude  at  a  sufficient  distance  to  allow  the 
workmen  to  ply  their  vocation.  But  nothing  gained  so  large 
a  share  of  admiration  as  a  horse,  which  had  been  brought  from 
Valparaiso  by  the  Achille,  one  of  the  vessels  of  the  squadron. 
The  animal,  a  remarkably  fine  one,  had  been  taken  ashore  and 
stabled  in  a  hut  of  cocoa-nut  boughs  within  the  fortified  enclo 
sure.  t  Occasionally  it  was  brought  out,  and,  being  gaily  capari 
soned,  was  ridden  by  one  of  the  officers  at  full  speed  over  the 
hard  sand  beach.  This  performance  was  sure  to  be  hailed 
with  loud  plaudits,  and  the  "  puarkee  nuee"  (big  hog)  was  una 
nimously  pronounced  by  the  islanders  to  be  the  most  extraordi 
nary  specimen  of  zoology  that  had  ever  come  under  their  obser 
vation. 

The  expedition  for  the  occupation  of  the  Marquesas  had  sailed 
from  Brest  in  the  spring  of  1842,  and  the  secret  of  its  destina- 


20  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  in. 

tion  was  solely  in  the  possession  of  its  commander.  No  wonder 
that  those  who  contemplated  such  a  signal  infraction  of  the  rights 
of  humanity  should  have  sought  to  veil  the  enormity  from  the 
eyes  of  the  world.  And  yet,  notwithstanding  their  iniquitous 
conduct  in  this  and  in  other  matters,  the  French  have  ever  plumed 
themselves  upon  being  the  most  humane  and  polished  of  nations. 
A  high  degree  of  refinement,  however,  does  not  seem  to  subdue 
our  wicked  propensities  so  much  after  all ;  and  were  civilisation 
itself  to  be  estimated  by  some  of  its  results,  it  would  seem  per 
haps  better  for  what  we  call  the  barbarous  part  of  the  world  to 
remain  unchanged. 

One  example  of  the  shameless  subterfuges  under  which  the 
French  stand  prepared  to  defend  whatever  cruelties  they  may 
hereafter  think  fit  to  commit  in  bringing  the  Marquesan  natives 
into  subjection  is  well  worthy  of  being  recorded.  On  some 
flimsy  pretext  or  other  Mowanna,  the  king  of  Nukuheva,  whom 
the  invaders  by  extravagant  presents  have  cajoled  over  to  their 
interests,  and  move  about  like  a  mere  puppet,  has  been  set  up 
as  the  rightful  sovereign  of  the  entire  island, — the  alleged  ruler 
by  prescription  of  various  clans  who  for  ages  perhaps  have  treated 
with  each  other  as  separate  nations.  To  reinstate  this  much-in 
jured  prince  in  the  assumed  dignities  of  his  ancestors,  the  disin 
terested  strangers  have  come  all  the  way  from  France  :  they  are 
determined  that  his  title  shall  be  acknowledged.  If  any  tribe 
shall  refuse  to  recognize  the  authority  of  the  French,  by  bowing 
down  to  the  laced  chapeau  of  Mowanna,  let  them  abide  the  con 
sequences  of  their  obstinacy.  Under  cover  of  a  similar  pretence, 
have  the  outrages  and  massacres  at  Tahiti  the  beautiful,  the  queen 
of  the  South  Seas,  been  perpetrated. 

On  this  buccaneering  expedition,  Rear- Admiral  Du  Petit  Thou- 
ars,  leaving  the  rest  of  his  squadron  at  the  Marquesas — which 
had  then  been  occupied  by  his  forces  about  five  months — set  sail 
for  the  doomed  island  in  the  Reine  Blanche  frigate.  On  his  arri- 


CHAP,  in.]  SPIRITED  CONDUCT  OF  MRS.  PRITCHARD.  21 

val,  as  an  indemnity  for  alleged  insults  offered  to  the  flag  of  his 
country,  he  demanded  some  twenty  or  thirty  thousand  dollars  to 
be  placed  in  his  hands  forthwith,  and  in  default  of  payment, 
threatened  to  land  and  take  possession  of  the  place. 

The  frigate,  immediately  upon  coming  to  an  anchor,  got  springs 
on  her  cables,  and  with  her  guns  cast  loose  and  her  men  at  their 
quarters,  lay  in  the  circular  basin  of  Papeete,  with  her  broadside 
bearing  upon  the  devoted  town  ;  while  her  numerous  cutters, 
hauled  in  order  alongside,  were  ready  to  effect  a  landing,  under 
cover  of  her  batteries.  She  maintained  this  belligerent  attitude 
for  several  days,  during  which  time  a  series  of  informal  negotia 
tions  were  pending,  and  wide  alarm  spread  over  the  island.  Many 
of  the  Tahitians  were  at  first  disposed  to  resort  to  arms,  and  drive 
the  invaders  from  their  shores  ;  but  more  pacific  and  feebler  coun 
sels  ultimately  prevailed.  The  unfortunate  queen,  Pomare,  inca 
pable  of  averting  the  impending  calamity,  terrified  at  the  arro 
gance  of  the  insolent  Frenchman,  and  driven  at  last  to  despair, 
fled  by  night  in  a  canoe  to  Emio. 

During  the  continuance  of  the  panic  there  occurred  an  instance 
of  feminine  heroism  that  I  cannot  omit  to  record. 

In  the  grounds  of  the  famous  missionary  consul,  Pritchard,  then 
absent  in  London,  the  consular  flag  of  Britain  waved  as  usual 
during  the  day,  from  a  lofty  staff  planted  within  a  few  yards  of 
the  beach,  and  in  full  view  of  the  frigate.  One  morning  an  offi 
cer,  at  the  head  of  a  party  of  men,  presented  himself  at  the  ve 
randah  of  Mr.  Pritchard's  house,  and  inquired  in  broken  English 
for  the  lady  his  wife.  The  matron  soon  made  her  appearance  ; 
and  the  polite  Frenchman,  making  one  of  his  best  bows,  and  play 
ing  gracefully  with  the  aiguilettes  that  danced  upon  his  breast, 
proceeded  in  courteous  accents  to  deliver  his  mission.  "  The 
admiral  desired  the  flag  to  be  hauled  down — hoped  it  would  be 
perfectly  agreeable — and  his  men  stood  ready  to  perform  the 
duty."  "  Tell  the  pirate,  your  master,"  replied  the  spirited  Eng- 


*  '• 

22  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  in. 

lish woman,  pointing  to  the  staff,  "  that  if  he  wishes  to  strike  those 
colors,  he  must  come  and  perform  the  act  himself;  I  will  suffer 
no  one  else  to  do  it."  The  lady  then  howed  haughtily  and  with 
drew  into  the  house.  As  the  discomfited  officer  slowly  walked 
away,  he  looked  up  to  the  flag,  and  perceived  that  the  cord  by 
which  it  was  elevated  to  its  place,  led  from  the  top  of  the  staff, 
across  the  lawn,  to  an  open  upper  window  of  the  mansion,  where 
sat  the  lady  from  whom  he  had  just  parted,  tranquilly  engaged  in 
"  knitting.  Was  that  flag  hauled  down  ?  Mrs.  Pritchard  thinks 
riot ;  and  Rear  Admiral  Du  Petit  Thouars  is  believed  to  be  of  the 
same  opinion. 


CHAP,  iv.]  AFFAIRS  ABOARD  THE  SHIP.  23 


CHAPTER  IV. 

State  of  Affairs  aboard  the  Ship — Contents  of  her  Larder — Length  of  South 
Seamen's  Voyages — Account  of  a  Flying  Whale-man — Determination  to 
Leave  the  Vessel — The  Bay  of  Nukuheva — The  Typees — Invasion  of 
their  Valley  by  Porter — Reflections-— Glen  of  Tior — Interview  between 
the  Old  King  and  the  French  Admiral. 

OUR  ship  had  not  been  many  days  in  the  harbor  of  Nukuheva 
before  I  came  to  the  determination  of  leaving  her.  That  my  rea 
sons  for  resolving  to  take  this  step  were  numerous  and  weighty, 
may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  I  chose  rather  to  risk  my  for 
tunes  among  the  savages  of  the  island  than  to  endure  another 
voyage  on  board  the  Dolly.  To  use  the  concise,  point-blank 
phrase  of  the  sailors,  I  had  made  up  my  mind  to  "  run  away." 
Now  as  a  meaning  is  generally  attached  to  these  two  words  no 
way  flattering  to  the  individual  to  whom  they  are  applied,  it  be 
hoves  me,  for  the  sake  of  my  own  character,  to  offer  some  expla 
nation  of  my  conduct. 

When  I  entered  on  board  the  Dolly,  I  signed  as  a  matter  of 
course  the  ship's  articles,  thereby  voluntarily  engaging  and  legally 
binding  myself  to  serve  in  a  certain  capacity  for  the  period  of  the 
voyage ;  and,  special  considerations  apart,  I  was  of  course  bound 
to  fulfil  the  agreement.  But  in  all  contracts,  if  one  party  fail  to 
perform  his  share  of  the  compact,  is  not  the  other  virtually  ab 
solved  from  his  liability  ?  Who  is  there  who  will  not  answer  in 
the  affirmative  ? 

Having  settled  the  principle,  then,  let  me  apply  it  to  the  par- 
ticular  case  in  question.  In  numberless  instances  had  not  only 
the  implied  but  the  specified  conditions  of  the  articles  been  vio- 


24  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  iv. 

lated  on  the  part  of  the  ship  in  which  I  served.  The  usage  on 
board  of  her  was  tyrannical ;  the  sick  had  been  inhumanly  neg 
lected  ;  the  provisions  had  been  doled  out  in  scanty  allowance  ; 
and  her  cruizes  were  unreasonably  protracted.  The  captain  was 
the  author  of  these  abuses ;  it  was  in  vain  to  think  that  he  would 
either  remedy  them,  or  alter  his  conduct,  which  was  arbitrary  and 
violent  in  the  extreme.  His  prompt  reply  to  all  complaints  and 
remonstrances  was — the  butt-end  of  a  hand-spike,  so  convincingly 
administered  as  effectually  to  silence  the  aggrieved  party. 

To  whom  could  we  apply  for  redress  ?  We  had  left  both  law 
and  equity  on  the  other  side  of  the  Cape  ;  and  unfortunately,  with 
a  very  few  exceptions,  our  crew  was  composed  of  a  parcel  of  das 
tardly  and  mean-spirited  wretches,  divided  among  themselves, 
and  only  united  in  enduring  without  resistance  the  unmitigated 
tyranny  of  the  captain.  It  would  have  been  mere  madness  for 
any  two  or  three  of  the  number,  unassisted  by  the  rest,  to  attempt 
making  a  stand  against  his  ill  usage.  They  would  only  have 
called  down  upon  themselves  the  particular  vengeance  of  this 
"  Lord  of  the  Plank,"  and  subjected  their  shipmates  to  additional 
hardships. 

But,  after  all,  these  things  could  have  been  endured  awhile, 
had  we  entertained  the  hope  of  being  speedily  delivered  from 
them  by  the  due  completion  of  the  term  of  our  servitude.  But 
what  a  dismal  prospect  awaited  us  in  this  quarter !  The  longevity 
of  Cape  Horn  whaling  voyages  is  proverbial,  frequently  extending 
over  a  period  of  four  or  five  years. 

Some  long-haired,  bare-necked  youths,  who,  forced  by  the 
united  influences  of  Captain  Marryatt  and  hard  times,  embark  at 
Nantucket  for  a  pleasure  excursion  to  the  Pacific,  and  whose 
anxious  mothers  provide  them  with  bottled  milk  for  the  occasion, 
oftentimes  return  very  respectable  middle-aged  gentlemen. 

The  very  preparations  made  for  one  of  these  expeditions  are 
enough  to  frighten  one.  As  the  vessel  carries  out  no  cargo,  her 


CHAP,  iv.]         LENGTH  OF  VOYAGES.  25 

hold  is  filled  with  provisions  for  her  own  consumption.  The 
owners,  who  officiate  as  caterers  for  the  voyage,  supply  the  larder 
with  an  abundance  of  dainties.  Delicate  morsels  of  beef  and 
pork,  cut  on  scientific  principles  from  every  part  of  the  animal, 
and  of  all  conceivable  shapes  and  sizes,  are  carefully  packed  in 
salt,  and  stored  away  in  barrels  ;  affording  a  never-ending  variety 
in  their  different  degrees  of  toughness,  and  in  the  peculiarities  of 
their  saline  properties.  Choice  old  water  too,  decanted  into  stout 
six-barrel-casks,  and  two  pints  of  which  is  allowed  every  day  to 
each  soul  on  board ;  together  with  ample  store  of  sea-bread,  pre 
viously  reduced  to  a  state  of  petrifaction,  with  a  view  to  preserve 
it  either  from  decay  or  consumption  in  the  ordinary  mode,  are 
likewise  provided  for  the  nourishment  and  gastronomic  enjoyment 
of  the  crew. 

But  not  to  speak  of  the  quality  of  these  articles  of  sailors'  fare, 
the  abundance  in  which  they  are  put  on  board  a  whaling  vessel 
is  almost  incredible.  Oftentimes,  when  we  had  occasion  to  break 
out  in  the  hold,  and  I  beheld  the  successive  tiers  of  casks  and 
barrels,  whose  contents  were  all  destined  to  be  consumed  in  due 
course  by  the  ship's  company,  my  heart  has  sunk  within  me. 

Although,  as  a  general  case,  a  ship  unlucky  in  falling  in  with 
whales  continues  to  cruize  after  them  until  she  has  barely  suffi 
cient  provisions  remaining  to  take  her  home,  turning  round  then 
quietly  and  making  the  best  of  her  way  to  her  friends,  yet  there 
are  instances  when  even  this  natural  obstacle  to  the  further  pro 
secution  of  the  voyage  is  overcome  by  headstrong  captains,  who, 
bartering  the  fruits  of  their  hard-earned  toils  for  a  new  supply  of 
provisions  in  some  of  the  ports  of  Chili  or  Peru,  begin  the  voyage 
afresh  with  unabated  zeal  and  perseverance.  It  is  in  vain  that 
the  owners  write  urgent  letters  to  him  to  sail  for  home,  and  for 
their  sake  to  bring  back  the  ship,  since  it  appears  he  can  put 
nothing  in  her.  Not  he.  He  has  registered  a  vow :  he  will  fill 


26  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  iv. 

his  vessel  with  good  sperm  oil,  or  failing  to  do  so,  never  again 
strike  Yankee  soundings. 

I  heard  of  one  whaler,  which  after  many  years'  absence  was 
given  up  for  lost.  The  last  that  had  been  heard  of  her  was  a 
shadowy  report  of  her  having  touched  at  some  of  those  unstable 
islands  in  the  far  Pacific,  whose  eccentric  wanderings  are  care 
fully  noted  in  each  new  edition  of  the  South-Sea  charts.  After 
a  long  interval,  however,  "  The  Perseverance" — for  that  was  her 
name — was  spoken  somewhere  in  the  vicinity  of  the  ends  of  the 
earth,  cruizing  along  as  leisurely  as  ever,  her  sails  all  bepatched 
and  bequilted  with  rope-yarns,  her  spars  fished,  with  old  pipe 
stores,  and  her  rigging  knotted  and  spliced  in  every  possible 
direction.  Her  crew  was  composed  of  some  twenty  venerable 
Greenwich-pensioner-looking  old  salts,  who  just  managed  to 
hobble  about  deck.  The  ends  of  all  the  running  ropes,  with  the 
exception  of  the  signal  halyards  and  poop-down-haul,  were  rove 
through  snatch-blocks,  and  led  to  the  capstan  or  windlass,  so 
that  not  a  yard  was  braced  or  a  sail  set  without  the  assistance  of 
machinery. 

Her  hull  was  incrusted  with  barnacles,  which  completely 
encased  her.  Three  pet  sharks  followed  in  her  wake,  and  every 
day  came  alongside  to  regale  themselves  from  the  contents  of  the 
cook's  bucket,  which  were  pitched  over  to  them.  A  vast  shoal 
of  bonetas  and  albicores  always  kept  her  company. 

Such  was  the  account  I  heard  of  this  vessel,  and  the  remem 
brance  of  it  always  haunted  me ;  what  eventually  became  of  her 
I  never  learned ;  at  any  rate  she  never  reached  home,  and  I  sup 
pose  she  is  still  regularly  tacking  twice  in  the  twenty- four  hours 
somewhere  ofFBuggerry  Island,  or  the  Devil's-Tail  Peak. 

Having  said  thus  much  touching  the  usual  length  of  these 
voyages,  when  I  inform  the  reader  that  ours  had  as  it  were  just 
commenced,  we  being  only  fifteen  months  out,  and  even  at  that 
time  hailed  as  a  late  arrival,  and  boarded  for  news,  he  will  readily 


CHAP,  iv.]  BAY  OF  NUKUHEVA.  27 

perceive  that  there  was  little  to  encourage  one  in  looking  forward 
to  the  future,  especially  as  I  had  always  had  a  presentiment  that 
we  should  make  an  unfortunate  voyage,  and  our  experience  so  far 
had  justified  the  expectation. 

I  may  here  state,  and  on  my  faith  as  an  honest  man,  that  though 
more  than  three  years  have  elapsed  since  I  left  this  same  identical 
vessel,  she  still  continues  in  the  Pacific,  and  but  a  few  days  since 
I  saw  her  reported  in  the  papers  as  having  touched  at  the  Sandwich 
Islands  previous  to  going  on  the*  coast  of  Japan. 

But  to  return  to  my  narrative.  Placed  in  these  circumstances 
then,  with  no  prospect  of  matters  mending  if  I  remained  aboard 
the  Dolly,  I  at  once  made  up  my  mind  to  leave  her :  to  be  sure 
it  was  rather  an  inglorious  thing  to  steal  away  privately  from 
those  at  whose  hands  I  had  received  wrongs  and  outrages  that  I 
could  not  resent ;  but  how  was  such  a  course  to  be  avoided  when 
it  was  the  only  alternative  left  me  ?  Having  made  up  my  mind, 
I  proceeded  to  acquire  all  the  information  I  could  obtain  relating 
to  the  island  and  its  inhabitants,  with  a  view  of  shaping  my  plans 
of  escape  accordingly.  The  result  of  these  inquiries  I  will  now 
state,  in  order  that  the  ensuing  narrative  may  be  the  better 
understood. 

The  bay  of  Nukuheva  in  which  we  were  then  lying  is  an  ex 
panse  of  water  not  unlike  in  figure  the  space  included  within  the 
limits  of  a  horse-shoe.  It  is,  perhaps,  nine  miles  in  circumference. 
You  approach  it  from  the  sea.  by  a  narrow  entrance,  flanked  on 
either  side  by  two  small  twin  islets  which  soar  conically  to  the 
height  of  some  five  hundred  feet.  From  these  the  shore  recedes 
on  both  hands,  and  describes  a  deep  semicircle. 

From  the  verge  of  the  water  the  land  rises  uniformly  on  all 
sides,  with  green  and  sloping  acclivities,  until  from  gently  rolling 
hill-sides  and  moderate  elevations  it  insensibly  swells  into  lofty 
and  majestic  heights,  whose  blue  outlines,  ranged  all  around, 
close  in  the  view.  The  beautiful  aspect  of  the  shore  is  heightened 


28  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  iv. 

by  deep  and  romantic  glens,  which  come  down  to  it  at  almost 
equal  distances,  all  apparently  radiating  from  a  common  centre, 
and  the  upf)er  extremities  of  which  are  lost  to  the  eye  beneath 
the  shadow  of  the  mountains.  Down  each  of  these  little  valleys 
flows  a  clear  stream,  here  and  there  assuming  the  form  of  a  slen 
der  cascade,  then  stealing  invisibly  along  until  it  bursts  upon  the 
sight  again  in  larger  and  more  noisy  waterfalls,  and  at  last  demurely 
wanders  along  to  the  sea. 

The  houses  of  the  natives,  constructed  of  the  yellow  bamboo, 
tastefully  twisted  together  in  a  kind  of  wicker-work,  and  thatched 
with  the  long  tapering  leaves  of  the  palmetto,  are  scattered  irre 
gularly  along  these  valleys  beneath  the  shady  branches  of  the 
cocoa-nut  trees. 

Nothing  can  exceed  the  imposing  scenery  of  this  bay. .  Viewed 
from  our  ship  as  she  lay  at  anchor  in  the  middle  of  the  harbor, 
it  presented  the  appearance  of  a  vast  natural  amphitheatre  in 
decay,  and  overgrown  with  vines,  the  deep  glens  that  furrowed 
its  sides  appearing  like  enormous  fissures  caused  by  the  ravages 
of  time.  Very  often  when  lost  in  admiration  at  its  beauty,  I  have 
experienced  a  pang  of  regret  that  a  scene  so  enchanting  should 
be  hidden  from  the  world  in  these  remote  seas,  and  seldom  meet 
the  eyes  of  devoted  lovers  of  nature. 

Besides  this  bay  the  shores  of  the  island  are  indented  by  several 
other  extensive  inlets,  into  which  descend  broad  and  verdant 
valleys.  These  are  inhabited  by  as  many  distinct  tribes  of 
savages,  who,  although  speaking  kindred  dialects  of  a  common 
language,  and  having  the  same  religion  and  laws,  have  from  time 
immemorial  waged  hereditary  warfare  against  each  other.  The 
intervening  mountains,  generally  two  or  three  thousand  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea,  geographically  define  the  territories  of  each 
of  these  hostile  tribes,  who  never  cross  them,  save  on  some  ex 
pedition  of  war  or  plunder.  Immediately  adjacent  to  Nukuheva, 
and  only  separated  from  it  by  the  mountains  seen  from  the  harbor, 


CHAP,  iv.]  THE  «  TYPEES,"  A  CLASS  OF  CANNIBALS.  29 

lies  the  lovely  valley  of  Happar,  whose  inmates  cherish  the  most 
friendly  relations  with  the  inhabitants  of  Nukuheva.  On  the 
other  side  of  Happar,  and  closely  adjoining  it,  is  the  magnificent 
valley  of  the  dreaded  Typees,  the  unappeasable  enemies  of  both 
these  tribes. 

These  celebrated  warriors  appear  to  inspire  the  other  islanders 
with  unspeakable  terrors.  Their  very  name  is  a  frightful  one  ; 
for  the  word  "  Typee"  in  the  Marquesan  dialect  signifies  a  lover 
of  human  flesh.  It  is  rather  singular  that  the  title  should  have 
been  bestowed  upon  them  exclusively,  inasmuch  as  the  natives  of 
all  this  group  are  irreclaimable  cannibals.  The  name  may,  per 
haps,  have  been  given  to  denote  the  peculiar  ferocity  of  this  clan, 
and  to  convey  a  special  stigma  along  with  it. 

These  same  Typees  enjoy  a  prodigious  notoriety  all  over  the 
islands.  The  natives  of  Nukuheva  would  frequently  recount  in 
pantomime  to  our  ship's  company  their  terrible  feats,  and  would 
show  the  marks  of  wounds  they  had  received  in  desperate  encoun 
ters  with  them.  When  ashore  they  would  try  to  frighten  us  by 
pointing  to  one  of  their  own  number,  and  calling  him  a  Typee, 
manifesting  no  little  surprise  that  we  did  not  take  to  our  heels  at 
so  terrible  an  announcement.  It  was  quite  amusing,  too,  to  see 
with  what  earnestness  they  disclaimed  all  cannibal  propensities 
on  their  own  part,  while  they  denounced  their  enemies — the 
Typees — as  inveterate  gormandizers  of  human  flesh ;  but  this  is 
a  peculiarity  to  which  I  shall  hereafter  have  occasion  to  allude. 

Although  I  was  convinced  that  the  inhabitants  of  our  bay 
were  as  arrant  cannibals  as  any  of  the  other  tribes  on  the  island, 
still  I  could  not  but  feel  a  particular  and  most  unqualified  re 
pugnance  to  the  aforesaid  Typees.  Even  before  visiting  the 
Marquesas,  I  had  heard  from  men  who  had  touched  at  the  group 
on  former  voyages  some  revolting  stories  in  connection  with  these 
savages ;  and  fresh  in  my  remembrance  was  the  adventure  of  the 
master  of  the  Katherine,  who  only  a  few  months  previous,  impru- 


30  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  TV. 

dently  venturing  into  this  bay  in  an  armed  boat  for  the  purpose 
of  barter,  was  seized  by  the  natives,  carried  back  a  little  distance 
into  their  valley,  and  was  only  saved  from  a  cruel  death  by  the 
intervention  of  a  young  girl,  who  facilitated  his  escape  by  night 
ulong  the  beach  to  Nukuheva. 

I  had  heard  too  of  an  English  vessel  that  many  years  ago,  after 
a  weary  cruize,  sought  to  enter  the  bay  of  Nukuheva,  and  arriv 
ing  within  two  or  three  miles  of  the  land,  was  met  by  a  large 
canoe  filled  with  natives,  who  offered  to  lead  the  way  to  the  place 
s>f  their  destination.  The  captain,  unacquainted  with  the  locali 
ties  of  the  island,  joyfully  acceded  to  the  proposition — the  canoe 
paddled  on  and  the  ship  followed.  She  was  soon  conducted  to  a 
beautiful  inlet,  and  dropped  her  anchor  in  its  waters  beneath  the 
shadows  of  the  lofty  shore.  That  same  night  the  perfidious 
Typees,  who  had  thus  inveigled  her  into  their  fatal  bay,  flocked 
aboard  the  doomed  vessel  by  hundreds,  and  at  a  given  signal 
murdered  every  soul  on  board. 

I  shall  never  forget  the  observation  of  one  of  our  crew  as  we 
were  passing  slowly  by  the  entrance  of  the  bay  in  our  way  to 
Nukuheva.  As  we  stood  gazing  over  the  side  at  the  verdant 
headlands,  Ned,  pointing  with  his  hand  in  the  direction  of  the 
treacherous  valley,  exclaimed,  "  There — there's  Typee.  Oh,  the 
bloody  cannibals,  what  a  meal  they'd  make  of  us  if  we  were  to 
take  it  into  our  heads  to  land !  but  they  say  they  don't  like  sailor's 
flesh,  it's  too  salt.  I  say,  maty,  how  should  you  like  to  be  shoved 
ashore  there,  eh  ?"  I  little  thought,  as  I  shuddered  at  the  question, 
that  in  the  space  of  a  few  weeks  I  should  actually  be  a  captive  in 
that  self-same  valley. 

The  French,  although  they  had  gone  through  the  ceremony 
of  hoisting  their  colors  for  a  few  hours  at  all  the  principal  places 
of  the  group,  had  not  as  yet  visited  the  bay  of  Typee,  anticipate 
ing  a  fierce  resistance  on  the  part  of  the  savages  there,  which 
for  the  present  at  least  they  wished  to  avoid.     Perhaps  they  were 


CHAP,  iv.]  EUROPEANS'  CRUELTIES.  31 

not  a  little  influenced  in  the  adoption  of  this  unusual  policy  from 
a  recollection  of  the  warlike  reception  given  by  the  Typees  to  the 
forces  of  Captain  Porter,  about  the  year  1814,  when  that  brave 
and  accomplished  officer  endeavored  to  subjugate  the  clan  merely 
to  gratify  the  mortal  hatred  of  his  allies  the  Nukuhevas  and 
Happars. 

On  that  occasion  I  have  been  told  that  a  considerable  detach  - 
ment  of  sailors  and  marines  from  the  frigate  Essex,  accompanied 
by  at  least  two  thousand  warriors  of  Happar  and  Nukuheva, 
landed  in  boats  and  canoes  at  the  head  of  the  bay,  and  after 
penetrating  a  little  distance  into  the  valley,  met  with  the  stoutest 
resistance  from  its  inmates.  Valiantly,  although  with  much  loss, 
the  Typees  disputed  every  inch  of  ground,  and  after  some  hard 
fighting  obliged  their  assailants  to  retreat  and  abandon  their 
design  of  conquest. 

The  invaders,  on  their  march  back  to  the  sea,  consoled  them 
selves  for  their  repulse  by  setting  fire  to  every  house  and  temple 
in  their  route  ;  and  a  long  line  of  smoking  ruins  defaced  the 
once-smiling  bosom  of  the  valley,  and  proclaimed  to  its  pagan 
inhabitants  the  spirit  that  reigned  in  the  breasts  of  Christian  soldiers. 
Who  can  wonder  at  the  deadly  hatred  of  the  Typees  to  all  for 
eigners  after  such  unprovoked  atrocities  ? 

Thus  it  is  that  they  whom  we  denominate  "  savages  "  are  made 
to  deserve  the  title.  When  the  inhabitants  of  some  sequestered 
island  first  descry  the  "  big  canoe "  of  the  European  rolling 
through  the  blue  waters  towards  their  shores,  they  rush  down  to 
the  beach  in  crowds,  and  with  open  arms  stand  ready  to  embrace 
the  strangers.  Fatal  embrace  !  They  fold  to  their  bosom  the 
vipers  whose  sting  is  destined  to  poison  all  their  joys ;  and  the 
instinctive  feeling  of  love  within  their  breast  is  soon  converted 
into  the  bitterest  hate. 

The  enormities  perpetrated  in  the  South  Seas  upon  some  of  the 
inoffensive  islanders  wellnigh  pass  belief.  These  things  are 


32  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  iv. 

seldom  proclaimed  at  home  ;  they  happen  at  the  very  ends  of  the 
earth  j  they  are  done  in  a  corner,  and  there  are  none  to  reveal 
them.  But  there  is,  nevertheless,  many  a  petty  trader  that  has 
navigated  the  Pacific  whose  course  from  island  to  island  might 
be  traced  by  a  series  of  cold-blooded  robberies,  kidnappings,  and 
murders,  the  iniquity  of  which  might  be  considered  almost  suffi 
cient  to  sink  her  guilty  timbers  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea. 

Sometimes  vague  accounts  of  such  things  reach  our  firesides, 
and  we  coolly  censure  them  as  wrong,  impolitic,  needlessly  severe, 
and  dangerous  to  the  crews  of  other  vessels.  How  different  is 
our  tone  when  we  read  the  highly-wrought  description  of  the 
massacre  of  the  crew  of  the  Hobomak  by  the  Feejees  ;  how  we 
sympathize  for  the  unhappy  victims,  and  with  what  horror  do  we 
regard  the  diabolical  heathens,  who,  after  all,  have  but  avenged 
the  unprovoked  injuries  which  they  have  received.  We  breathe 
nothing  but  vengeance,  and  equip  armed  vessels  to  traverse  thou 
sands  of  miles  of  ocean  in  order  to  execute  summary  punishment 
upon  the  offenders.  On  arriving  at  their  destination,  they  burn, 
slaughter,  and  destroy,  according  to  the  tenor  of  written  instruc 
tions,  and  sailing  away  from  the  scene  of  devastation,  call  upon 
all  Christendom  to  applaud  their  courage  and  their  justice. 

How  often  is  the  term  "  savages  "  incorrectly  applied  !  None 
really  deserving  of  it  were  ever  yet  discovered  by  voyagers  or  by 
travellers.  They  have  discovered  heathens  and  barbarians,  whom 
by  horrible  cruelties  they  have  exasperated  into  savages.  It 
may  be  asserted  without  fear  of  contradiction,  that  in  all  the  cases 
of  outrages  committed  by  Polynesians,  Europeans  have  at  some 
time  or  other  been  the  aggressors,  and  that  the  cruel  and  blood 
thirsty  disposition  of  some  of  the  islanders  is  mainly  to  be  ascribed 
to  the  influence  of  such  examples. 

But  to  return.  Owing  to  the  mutual  hostilities  of  the  different 
tribes  I  have  mentioned,  the  mountainous  tracts  which  separate 
their  respective  territories  remain  altogether  uninhabited ;  the 


CHAP,  iv.]  THE  VALLEY  OF  TIOR.  33 

natives  invariably  dwelling  in  the  depths  of  the  valleys,  with  a 
view  of  securing  themselves  from  the  predatory  incursions  of  their 
enemies,  who  often  lurk  along  their  borders,  ready  to  cut  off  any 
imprudent  straggler,  or  make  a  descent  upon  the  inmates  of  some 
sequestered  habitation.  I  several  times  met  with  very  aged  men, 
who  from  this  cause  had  never  passed  the  confines  of  their  native 
vale,  some  of  them  having  never  even  ascended  midway  up  the 
mountains  in  the  whole  course  of  their  lives,  and  who,  accordingly, 
had  little  idea  of  the  appearance  of  any  other  part  of  the  island, 
the  whole  of  which  is  not  perhaps  more  than  sixty  miles  in  circuit. 
The  little  space  in  which  some  of  these  clans  pass  away  their 
days  would  seem  almost  incredible. 

The  glen  of  Tior  will  furnish  a  curious  illustration  of  this. 
The  inhabited  part  is  not  more  than  four  miles  in  length,  and 
varies  in  breadth  from  half  a  mile  to  less  than  a  quarter.  The 
rocky  vine-clad  cliffs  on  one  side  tower  almost  perpendicularly 
from  their  base  to  the  height  of  at  least  fifteen  hundred  feet ;  while 
across  the  vale — in  striking  contrast  to  the  scenery  opposite — 
grass-grown  elevations  rise  one  above  another  in  blooming  ter 
races.  Hemmed  in  by  these  stupendous  barriers,  the  valley  would 
be  altogether  shut  out  from  the  rest  of  the  world,  were  it  not  that 
it  is  accessible  from  the  sea  at  one  end,  and  by  a  narrow  defile  at 
the  other. 

The  impression  produced  upon  the  mind,  when  I  first  visited 
this  beautiful  glen,  will  never  be  obliterated. 

I  had  come  from  Nukuheva  by  water  in  the  ship's  boat,  and 
when  we  entered  the  bay  of  Tior  it  was  high  noon.  The  heat 
had  been  intense,  as  we  had  been  floating  upon  the  long  smooth 
swell,  of  the  ocean,  for  there  was  but  little  wind.  The  sun's  rays 
had  expended  all  their  fury  upon  us ;  and  to  add  to  our  discomfort, 
we  had  omitted  to  supply  ourselves  with  water  previous  to  start 
ing.  What  with  heat  and  thirst  together,  I  became  so  impatient 
to  get  ashore,  that  when  at  last  we  glided  towards  it,  I  stood  up 

3* 


34  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP  iv. 

in  the  bow  of  the  boat  ready  for  a  spring.  As  she  shot  two-thirds 
of  her  length  high  upon  the  beach,  propelled  by  three  or  four 
strong  strokes  of  the  oars,  I  leaped  among  a  parcel  of  juvenile 
savages,  who  stood  prepared  to  give  us  a  kind  reception ;  and 
with  them  at  my  heels,  yelling  like  so  many  imps,  I  rushed  for 
ward  across  the  open  ground  in  the  vicinity  of  the  sea,  and 
plunged,  diver  fashion,  into  the  recesses  of  the  first  grove  that 
offered. 

What  a  delightful  sensation  did  I  experience  !  I  felt  as  if 
floating  in  some  new  element,  while  all  sort  of  gurgling,  trickling, 
liquid  sounds  fell  upon  my  ear.  People  may  say  what  they  will 
about  the  refreshing  influences  of  a  cold-water  bath,  but  commend 
me  when  in  a  perspiration  to  the  shade  baths  of  Tior,  beneath  the 
cocoa-nut  trees,  and  amidst  the  cool  delightful  atmosphere  which 
surrounds  them. 

How  shall  I  describe  the  scenery  that  met  my  eye,  as  I  looked 
out  from  this  verdant  recess  !  The  narrow  valley,  with  its  steep 
and  close  adjoining  sides  draperied  with  vines,  and  arched  over 
head  with  a  fret-work  of  interlacing  boughs,  nearly  hidden  from 
view  by  masses  of  leafy  verdure,  seemed  from  where  I  stood  like 
an  immense  arbor  disclosing  its  vista  to  the  eye,  whilst  as  I 
advanced  it  insensibly  widened  into  the  loveliest  vale  eye  ever 
beheld. 

It  so  happened  that  the  very  day  I  was  in  Tior  the  French 
admiral,  attended  by  all  the  boats  of  his  squadron,  came  down  in 
state  from  Nukuheva  to  take  formal  possession  of  the  place.  He 
remained  in  the  valley  about  two  hours,  during  which  time  he  had 
a  ceremonious  interview  with  the  king. 

The  patriarch-sovereign  of  Tior  was  a  man  very  far  advanced 
in  years  ;  but  though  age  had  bowed  his  form  and  rendered  him 
almost  decrepid,  his  gigantic  frame  retained  all  its  original  mag 
nitude  and  grandeur  of  appearance.  He  advanced  slowly  and 
with  evident  pain,  assisting  his  tottering  steps  with  the  heavy 


CHAP,  iv.]  THE  KING  AND  THE  ADMIRAL.  35 

war-spear  he  held  in  his  hand,  and  attended  by  a  group  of  grey- 
bearded  chiefs,  on  one  of  whom  he  occasionally  leaned  for  support. 
The  admiral  came  forward  with  head  uncovered  and  extended 
hand,  while  the  old  king  saluted  him  by  a  stately  flourish  of  his 
weapon.  The  next  moment  they  stood  side  by  side,  these  two 
extremes  of  the  social  scale, — the  polished,  splendid  Frenchman, 
and  the  poor  tattooed  savage.  They  were  both  tall  and  noble- 
looking  men  ;  but  in  other  respects  how  strikingly  contrasted  ! 
Du  Petit  Thouars  exhibited  upon  his  person  all  the  paraphernalia 
of  his  naval  rank.  He  wore  a  richly  decorated  admiral's  frock- 
coat,  a  laced  chapeau  bras,  and  upon  his  breast  were  a  variety 
of  ribbons  and  orders ;  while  the  simple  islander,  with  the  excep 
tion  of  a  slight  cincture  about  his  loins,  appeared  in  all  the  naked 
ness  of  nature. 

At  what  an  immeasurable  distance,  thought  I,  are  these  two 
beings  removed  from  each  other !  In  the  one  is  shown  the  result 
of  long  centuries  of  progressive  civilisation  and  refinement,  which 
have  gradually  converted  the  mere  creature  into  the  semblance 
of  all  that  is  elevated  and  grand  ;  while  the  other,  after  the  lapse 
of  the  same  period,  has  not  advanced  one  step  in  the  career  of 
improvement.  "  Yet,  after  all,"  quoth  I  to  myself,  "  insensible 
as  he  is  to  a  thousand  wants,  and  removed  from  harassing  cares, 
may  not  the  savage  be  the  happier  man  of  the  two  ?"  Such 
were  the  thoughts  that  arose  in  my  mind  as  I  gazed  upon  the 
novel  spectacle  before  me.  In  truth  it  was  an  impressive  one, 
and  little  likely  to  be  effaced.  I  can  recall  even  now  with  vivid 
distinctness  every  feature  of  the  scene.  The  umbrageous 
shades  where  the  interview  took  place — the  glorious  tropical 
vegetation  around — the  picturesque  grouping  of  the  mingled 
throng  of  soldiery  and  natives — and  even  the  golden-hued  bunch 
of  bananas  that  I  held  in  my  hand  at  the  time,  and  of  which  I 
occasionally  partook  while  making  the  aforesaid  philosophical 
reflections. 


36  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  v. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Thoughts  previous  to  attempting  an  Escape — Toby,  a  fellow  sailor,  agrees 
to  share  the  Adventure — Last  Night  aboard  the  Ship. 

HAVING  fully  resolved  to  leave  the  vessel  clandestinely,  and 
having  acquired  all  the  knowledge  concerning  the  bay  that  I 
could  obtain  under  the  circumstances  in  which  I  was  placed,  I 
now  deliberately  turned  over  in  my  mind  every  plan  of  escape 
that  suggested  itself,  being  determined  to  act  with  all  possible 
prudence  in  an  attempt  where  failure  would  be  attended  with  so 
many  disagreeable  consequences.  The  idea  of  being  taken  and 
brought  back  ignominiously  to  the  ship  was  so  inexpressibly  re 
pulsive  to  me,  that  I  was  determined  by  no  hasty  and  imprudent 
measures  to  render  such  an  event  probable. 

I  knew  that  our  worthy  captain,  who  felt  such  a  paternal  soli 
citude  for  the  welfare  of  his  crew,  would  not  willingly  consent 
that  one  of  his  best  hands  should  encounter  the  perils  of  a  sojourn 
among  the  natives  of  a  barbarous  island  ;  and  I  was  certain  that 
in  the  event  of  my  disappearance,  his  fatherly  anxiety  would 
prompt  him  to  offer,  by  way  of  a  reward,  yard  upon  yard  of  gaily 
printed  calico  for  my  apprehension.  He  might  even  have  appre 
ciated  my  services  at  the  value  of  a  musket,  in  which  case  I  felt 
perfectly  certain  that  the  whole  population  of  the  bay  would  be 
immediately  upon  my  track,  incited  by  the  prospect  of  so  magni 
ficent  a  bounty. 

Having  ascertained  the  fact  before  alluded  to,  that  the  islanders, 
from  motives  of  precaution,  dwelt  together  in  the  depths  of  the 
valleys,  and  avoided  wandering  about  the  more  elevated  portions 


CHAP.  v.J  PROJECT  OF  ESCAPE.  37 

of  the  shore,  unless  bound  on  some  expedition  of  war  or  plunder, 
I  concluded  that  if  I  could  effect  unperceived  a  passage  to  the 
mountains,  I  might  easily  remain  among  them,  supporting  myself 
by  such  fruits  as  came  in  my  way  until  the  sailing  of  the  ship, 
an  event  of  which  I  could  not  fail  to  be  immediately  apprised,  as 
from  my  lofty  position  I  should  command  a  view  of  the  entire 
harbor. 

The  idea  pleased  me  greatly.  It  seemed  to  combine  a  great 
deal  of  practicability  with  no  inconsiderable  enjoyment  in  a  quiet 
way ;  for  how  delightful  it  would  be  to  look  down  upon  the  de 
tested  old  vessel  from  the  height  of  some  thousand  feet,  and  con 
trast  the  verdant  scenery  about  me  with  the  recollection  of  her 
narrow  decks  and  gloomy  forecastle  !  Why,  it  was  really  refresh 
ing  even  to  think  of  it ;  and  so  I  straightway  fell  to  picturing 
myself  seated  beneath  a  cocoa-nut  tree  on  the  brow  of  the  moun 
tain,  with  a  cluster  of  plantains  within  easy  reach,  criticising 
her  nautical  evolutions  as  she  was  working  her  way  out  of  the 
harbor. 

To  be  sure  there  was  one  rather  unpleasant  drawback  to  these 
agreeable  anticipations — the  possibility  of  falling  in  with  a 
foraging  party  of  these  same  bloody-minded  Typees,  whose  appe 
tites,  edged  perhaps  by  the  air  of  so  elevated  a  region,  might 
prompt  them  to  devour  one.  This,  I  must  confess,  was  a  most 
disagreeable  view  of  the  matter. 

Just  to  think  of  a  party  of  these  unnatural  gourmands  taking  it 
into  their  heads  to  make  a  convivial  meal  of  a  poor  devil,  who 
would  have  no  means  of  escape  or  defence  :  however,  there  was 
no  help  for  it.  I  was  willing  to  encounter  some  risks  in  order  to 
accomplish  my  object,  and  counted  much  upon  my  ability  to 
elude  these  prowling  cannibals  amongst  the  many  coverts  which 
the  mountains  afforded.  Besides,  the  chances  were  ten  to  one 
in  my  favor  that  they  would  none  of  them  quit  their  own  fast 
nesses. 


38  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  v. 

I  had  determined  not  to  communicate  my  design  of  withdraw 
ing  from  the  vessel  to  any  of  my  shipmates,  and  least  of  all  to 
solicit  any  one  to  accompany  me  in  my  flight.  But  it  so  hap 
pened  one  night,  that  being  upon  deck,  revolving  over  in  my 
mind  various  plans  of  escape,  I  perceived  one  of  the  ship's  com 
pany  leaning  over  the  bulwarks,  apparently  plunged  in  a  pro 
found  reverie.  He  was  a  young  fellow  about  my  own  age,  for 
whom  I  had  all  along  entertained  a  great  regard  ;  and  Toby,  such 
was  the  name  by  which  he  went  among  us,  for  his  real  name 
he  would  never  tell  us,  was  every  way  worthy  of  it.  He  was 
active,  ready,  and  obliging,  of  dauntless  courage,  and  singularly 
open  and  fearless  in  the  expression  of  his  feelings.  1  had  on 
more  than  one  occasion  got  him  out  of  scrapes  into  which  this 
had  led  him ;  and  I  know  not  whether  it  was  from  this  cause,  or 
a  certain  congeniality  of  sentiment  between  us,  that  he  had 
always  shown  a  partiality  for  my  society.  We  had  battled  out 
many  a  long  watch  together,  beguiling  the  weary  hours  with 
chat,  song,  and  story,  mingled  with  a  good  many  imprecations 
upon  the  hard  destiny  it  seemed  our  common  fortune  to  en 
counter. 

Toby,  like  myself,  had  evidently  moved  in  a  different  sphere 
of  life,  and  his  conversation  at  times  betrayed  this,  although  he 
was  anxious  to  conceal  it.  He  was  one  of  that  class  of  rovers 
you  sometimes  meet  at  sea,  who  never  reveal  their  origin,  never 
allude  to  home,  and  go  rambling  over  the  world  as  if  pursued  by 
.some  mysterious  fate  they  cannot  possibly  elude. 

There  was  much  even  in  the  appearance  of  Toby  calculated  to 
draw  me  towards  him,  for  while  the  greater  part  of  the  crew  were 
as  coarse  in  person  as  in  mind,  Toby  was  endowed  with  a  re 
markably  prepossessing  exterior.  Arrayed  in  his  blue  frock  and 
duck  trowsers,  he  was  as  smart  a  looking  sailor  as  ever  stepped 
upon  a  deck ;  he  was  singularly  small  and  slightly  made,  with 
great  flexibility  of  limb.  His  naturally  dark  complexion  had 


CHAP,  v.]  CHARACTERISTICS  OF  TOBY.  39 

been  deepened  by  exposure  to  the  tropical  sun,  and  a  mass  of  jetty 
locks  clustered  about  his  temples,  and  threw  a  darker  shade  into 
his  large  black  eyes.  He  was  a  strange  wayward  being,  moody, 
fitful,  and  melancholy — at  times  almost  morose.  He  had  a  quick 
and  fiery  temper  too,  which,  when  thoroughly  roused,  transported 
him  into  a  state  bordering  on  delirium. 

It  is  strange  the  power  that  a  mind  of  deep  passion  has  over 
feebler  natures.  I  have  seen  a  brawny  fellow,  with  no  lack  of 
ordinary  courage,  fairly  quail  before  this  slender  stripling,  when 
in  one  of  his  furious  fits.  But  these  paroxysms  seldom  occurred, 
and  in  them  my  big-hearted  shipmate  vented  the  bile  which  more 
calm-tempered  individuals  get  rid  of  by  a  continual  pettishness  at 
trivial  annoyances. 

No  one  ever  saw  Toby  laugh.  I  mean  in  the  hearty  abandon 
ment  of  broad-mouthed  mirth.  He  did  smile  sometimes,  it  is  true  ; 
and  there  was  a  good  deal  of  dry,  sarcastic  humor  about  him, 
which  told  the  more  from  the  imperturbable  gravity  of  his  tone 
and  manner. 

Latterly  I  had  observed  that  Toby's  melancholy  had  greatly 
increased,  and  I  had  frequently  seen  him  since  our  arrival  at  the 
island  gazing  wistfully  upon  the  shore,  when  the  remainder  of  the 
crew  would  be  rioting  below.  I  was  aware  that  he  entertained  a 
cordial  detestation  of  the  ship,  and  believed  that  should  u  fair 
chance  of  escape  present  itself,  he  would  embrace  it  willingly. 
But  the  attempt  was  so  perilous  in  the  place  where  we  then  lay, 
that  I  supposed  myself  the  only  individual  on  board  the  ship  who 
was  sufficiently  reckless  to  think  of  it.  In  this,  however,  I  was 
mistaken. 

When  I  perceived  Toby  leaning,  as  I  have  mentioned,  against 
the  bulwarks  and  buried  in  thought,  it  struck  me  at  once  that  the 
subject  of  his  meditations  might  be  the  same  as  my  own.  And 
if  it  be  so,  thought  I,  is  he  not  the  very  one  of  all  my  shipmates 
whom  I  would  choose  for  the  partner  of  my  adventure  ?  and  why 


40  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  v. 

should  I  not  have  some  comrade  with  me  to  divide  its  dangers  and 
alleviate  its  hardships  ?  Perhaps  I  might  be  obliged  to  lie  con 
cealed  among  the  mountains  for  weeks.  In  such  an  event  what 
a  solace  would  a  companion  be  ? 

These  thoughts  passed  rapidly  through  my  mind,  and  I  won 
dered  why  I  had  not  before  considered  the  matter  in  this  light. 
But  it  was  not  too  late.  A  tap  upon  the  shoulder  served  to  rouse 
Toby  from  his  reverie ;  I  found  him  ripe  for  the  enterprise,  and 
a  very  few  words  sufficed  for  a  mutual  understanding  between  us. 
In  an  hour's  time  we  had  arranged  all  the  preliminaries,  and 
decided  upon  our  plan  of  action.  We  then  ratified  our  engage 
ment  with  an  affectionate  wedding  of  palms,  and  to  elude  suspi 
cion  repaired  each  to  his  hammock,  to  spend  the  last  night  on 
board  the  Dolly. 

The  next  day  the  starboard  watch,  to  which  we  both  belonged, 
was  to  be  sent  ashore  on  liberty ;  and,  availing  ourselves  of  this 
opportunity,  we  determined,  as  soon  after  landing  as  possible,  to 
separate  ourselves  from  the  rest  of  the  men  without  exciting  their 
suspicions,  and  strike  back  at  once  for  the  mountains.  Seen  from 
the  ship,  the  summits  appeared  inaccessible,  but  here  and  there 
sloping  spurs  extended  from  them  almost  into  the  sea,  buttressing 
the  lofty  elevations  with  which  they  were  connected,  and  forming 
those  radiating  valleys  I  have  before  described.  One  of  these 
ridges,  which  appeared  more  practicable  than  the  rest,  we  de 
termined  to  climb,  convinced  that  it  would  conduct  us  to  the 
heights  beyond.  Accordingly,  we  carefully  observed  its  bearings 
and  locality  from  the  ship,  so  that  when  ashore  we  should  run  no 
chance  of  missing  it. 

In  all  this  the  leading  object  we  had  in  view  was  to  seclude 
ourselves  from  sight  until  the  departure  of  the  vessel  ;  then  to 
take  our  chance  as  to  the  reception  the  Nukuheva  natives  might 
give  us ;  and  after  remaining  upon  the  island  as  long  as  we  found 
our  stay  agreeable,  to  leave  it  the  first  favorable  opportunity  that 
offered. 


CHAP,  vi.]         SPECIMEN  OF  NAUTICAL  ORATORY.  41 


CHAPTER  VI. 

A  Specimen  of  Nautical  Oratory. — Criticisms  of  the  Sailors. — The  Starboard 
Watch  are  given  a  Holiday. — The  Escape  to  the  Mountains. 

EARLY  the  next  morning  the  starboard  watch  were  mustered  upon 
the  quarter-deck,  and  our  worthy  captain,  standing  in  the  cabin 
gangway,  harangued  us  as  follows  : — 

"  Now,  men,  as  we  are  just  off  a  six  months'  cruise,  and  have 
got  through  most  all  our  work  in  port  here,  I  suppose  you  want 
to  go  ashore.  Well,  I  mean  to  give  your  watch  liberty  to-day, 
so  you  may  get  ready  as  soon  as  you  please,  and  go ;  but  under 
stand  this,  I  am  going  to  give  you  liberty  because  I  suppose  you 
would  growl  like  so  many  old  quarter  gunners  if  I  didn't ;  at 
the  same  time,  if  you'll  take  my  advice,  every  mother's  son  of 
you  will  stay  aboard,  and  keep  out  of  the  way  of  the  bloody  can 
nibals  altogether.  Ten  to  one,  men,  if  you  go  ashore,  you  will 
get  into  some  infernal  row,  and  that  will  be  the  end  of  you ;  for 
if  those  tattooed  scoundrels  get  you  a  little  ways  back  into  their 
valleys,  they'll  nab  you — that  you  may  be  certain  of.  Plenty  of 
white  men  have  gone  ashore  here  and  never  been  seen  any  more. 
There  was  the  old  Dido,  she  put  in  here  about  two  years  ago,  and 
sent  one  watch  off  on  liberty  ;  they  never  were  heard  of  again  for 
a  week — the  natives  swore  they  didn't  know  where  they  were — 
and  only  three  of  them  ever  got  back  to  the  ship  again,  and.  one 
with  his  face  damaged  for  life,  for  the  cursed  heathens  tattooed 
a  broad  patch  clean  across  his  figure-head.  But  it  will  be  no 
use  talking  to  you,  for  go  you  will,  that  I  see  plainly ;  so  all  I 
have  to  say  is,  that  you  need  not  blame  me  if  the  islanders  make 
a  meal  of  you.  You  may  stand  some  chance  of  escaping  .them 


42  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  vi. 

though,  if  you  keep  close  about  the  French  encampment,  and  are 
back  to  the  ship  again  before  sunset.  Keep  that  much  in  your 
mind,  if  you  forget  all  the  rest  I've  been  saying  to  you.  There, 
go  forward :  bear  a  hand  and  rig  yourselves,  and  stand  by  for  a 
call.  At  two  bells  the  boat  will  be  manned  to  take  you  off,  and 
the  Lord  have  mercy  on  you  !" 

Various  were  the  emotions  depicted  upon  the  countenances  of 
the  starboard  watch  whilst  listening  to  this  address ;  but  on  its 
conclusion  there  was  a  general  move  towards  the  forecastle,  and 
we  soon  were  all  busily  engaged  in  getting  ready  for  the  holiday 
so  auspiciously  announced  by  the  skipper.  During  these  pre 
parations  his  harangue  was  commented  upon  in  no  very  mea 
sured  terms  ;  and  one  of  the  party,  after  denouncing  him  as  a 
lying  old  son  of  a  sea-cook  who  begrudged  a  fellow  a  few  hours' 
liberty,  exclaimed  with  an  oath,  "  But  you  don't  bounce  me 
out  of  my  liberty,  old  chap,  for  all  your  yarns ;  for  I  would 
go  ashore  if  every  pebble  on  the  beach  was  a  live  coal,  and 
every  stick  a  gridiron,  and  the  cannibals  stood  ready  to  broil  me 
on  landing." 

The  spirit  of  this  sentiment  was  responded  to  by  all  hands,  and 
we  resolved  that  in  spite  of  the  captain's  croakings  we  would  make 
a  glorious  day  of  it. 

But  Toby  and  I  had  our  own  game  to  play,  and  we  availed 
ourselves  of  the  confusion  which  always  reigns  among  a  ship's 
company  preparatory  to  going  ashore,  to  confer  together  and 
complete  our  arrangements.  As  our  object  was  to  effect  as  rapid 
a  flight  as  possible  to  the  mountains,  we  determined  not  to  en 
cumber  ourselves  with  any  superfluous  apparel ;  and  accordingly, 
while  the  rest  were  rigging  themselves  out  with  some  idea  of 
making  a  display,  we  were  content  to  put  on  new  stout  duck 
trousers,  serviceable  pumps,  and  heavy  Havre-frocks,  which  with 
a  Payta  hat  completed  our  equipment. 

When  our  shipmates  wondered  at  this,  Toby  exclaimed  in  his 


CHAP,  vi.]  GOING  ASHORE.  43 

odd  grave  way  that  the  rest  might  do  as  they  liked,  but  that  he 
for  one  preserved  his  go-ashore  traps  for  the  Spanish  main,  where 
the  tie  of  a  sailor's  neckerchief  might  make  some  difference  ; 
but  as  for  a  parcel  of  unbreeched  heathen,  he  wouldn't  go  to 
the  bottom  of  his  chest  for  any  of  them,  and  was  half  disposed  to 
appear  among  them  in  buff  himself.  The  men  laughed  at  what 
they  thought  was  one  of  his  strange  conceits,  and  so  we  escaped 
suspicion. 

It  may  appear  singular  that  we  should  have  been  thus  on  our 
guard  with  our  own  shipmates ;  but  there  were  some  among  us 
who,  had  they  possessed  the  least  inkling  of  our  project,  would, 
for  a  paltry  hope  of  reward,  have  immediately  communicated  it 
to  the  captain. 

As  soon  as  two  bells  were  struck,  the  word  was  passed  for  the 
liberty-men  to  get  into  the  boat.  I  lingered  behind  in  the  fore 
castle  a  moment  to  take  a  parting  glance  at  its  familiar  features, 
and  just  as  I  was  about  to  ascend  to  the  deck  my  eye  happened 
to  light  on  the  bread-barge  and  beef-kid,  which  contained  the 
remnants  of  our  last  hasty  meal.  Although  I  had  never  before 
thought  of  providing  anything  in  the  way  of  food  for  our  expedi 
tion,  as  I  fully  relied  upon  the  fruits  of  the  island  to  sustain  us 
wherever  we  might  wander,  yet  I  could  not  resist  the  inclination 
I  felt  to  provide  luncheon  from  the  relics  before  me.  Accord 
ingly  I  took  a  double  handful  of  those  small,  broken,  flinty  bits 
of  biscuit  which  generally  go  by  the  name  of  "  midshipmen's 
nuts,"  and  thrust  them  into  the  bosom  of  my  frock  ;  in  which 
same  ample  receptacle  I  had  previously  stowed  away  several 
pounds  of  tobacco  and  a  few  yards  of  cotton  cloth — articles  with 
which  I  intended  to  purchase  the  good-will  of  the  natives,  as 
soon  as  we  should  appear  among  them  after  the  departure  of  our 
vessel. 

This  last  addition  to  my  stock  caused  a  considerable  pro 
tuberance  in  front,  which  I  abated  in  a  measure  by  shaking  the 


44  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  vi. 

bits  of  bread  around  my  waist,  and  distributing  the  plugs  of  to 
bacco  among  the  folds  of  the  garment. 

Hardly  had  I  completed  these  arrangements  when  my  name 
was  sung  out  by  a  dozen  voices,  and  I  sprung  upon  the  deck, 
where  I  found  all  the  party  in  the  boat,  and  impatient  to  shove  off. 
I  dropped  over  the  side  and  seated  myself  with  the  rest  of  the 
watch  in  the  stern  sheets,  while  the  poor  larboarders  shipped 
their  oars,  and  commenced  pulling  us  ashore. 

This  happened  to  be  the  rainy  season  at  the  islands,  and  the 
heavens  had  nearly  the  whole  morning  betokened  one  of  those 
heavy  showers  which  during  this  period  so  frequently  occur. 
The  large  drops  fell  bubbling  into  the  water  shortly  after  our 
leaving  the  ship,  and  by  the  time  we  had  effected  a  landing  it 
poured  down  in  torrents.  We  fled  for  shelter  under  cover  of  an 
immense  canoe-house  which  stood  hard  by  the  beach,  and  waited 
for  the  first  fury  of  the  storm  to  pass. 

It  continued,  however  without  cessation ;  and  the  monotonous 
beating  of  the  rain  over  head  began  to  exert  a  drowsy  influence 
upon  the  men,  who,  throwing  themselves  here  and  there  upon  the 
large  war-canoes,  after  chatting  awhile,  all  fell  asleep. 

This  was  the  opportunity  we  desired,  and  Toby  and  I  availed 
ourselves  of  it  at  once  by  stealing  out  of  the  canoe-house  and 
plunging  into  the  depths  of  an  extensive  grove  that  was  in  its 
rear.  After  ten  minutes'  rapid  progress  we  gained  an  open 
space  from  which  we  could  just  descry  the  ridge  we  intended  to 
mount  looming  dimly  through  the  mists  of  the  tropical  shower, 
and  distant  from  us,  as  we  estimated,  something  more  than  a 
mile.  Our  direct  course  towards  it  lay  through  a  rather  popu 
lous  part  of  the  bay  ;  but  desirous  as  we  were  of  evading  the  na 
tives,  and  securing  an  unmolested  retreat  to  the  mountains,  we 
determined,  by  taking  a  circuit  through  some  extensive  thickets, 
to  avoid  their  vicinity  altogether. 

The  heavy  rain  that  still  continued  to  fall  without  intermission 


CHAP,  vi.]  DIFFICULTIES  IN  A  CANE-BRAKE.  45 

favored  our  enterprise,  as  it  drove  the  islanders  into  their  houses, 
and  prevented  any  casual  meeting  with  them.  Our  heavy  frocks 
soon  became  completely  saturated  with  water,  and  by  their 
weight,  and  that  of  the  articles  we  had  concealed  beneath  them, 
not  a  little  impeded  our  progress.  But  it  was  no  time  to  pause 
when  at  any  moment  we  might  be  surprised  by  a  body  of  the 
savages,  and  forced  at  the  very  outset  to  relinquish  our  under 
taking. 

Since  leaving  the  canoe-house  we  had  scarcely  exchanged  a 
single  syllable  with  one  another  ;  but  when  we  entered  a  second 
narrow  opening  in  the  wood,  and  again  caught  sight  of  the  ridge 
before  us,  I  took  Toby  by  the  arm,  and  pointing  along  its  sloping 
outline  to  the  lofty  heights  at  its  extremity,  said  in  a  low  tone, 
"  Now,  Toby,  not  a  word,  nor  a  glance  backward,  till  we  stand 
on  the  summit  of  yonder  mountain — so  no  more  lingering,  but 
let  us  shove  ahead  while  we  can,  and  in  a  few  hours'  time  we 
may  laugh  aloud. — You  are  the  lightest  and  the  nimblest,  so  lead 
on,  and  I  will  follow." 

"All  right,  brother,"  said  Toby,  "quick's  our  play;  only 
let 's  keep  close  together,  that 's  all ;"  and  so  saying,  with  a 
bound  like  a  young  roe,  he  cleared  a  brook  which  ran  across  our 
path,  and  rushed  forward  with  a  quick  step. 

When  we  arrived  within  a  short  distance  of  the  ridge,  we  were 
stopped  by  a  mass  of  tall  yellow  reeds,  growing  together  as 
thickly  as  they  could  stand,  and  as  tough  and  stubborn  as  so 
many  rods  of  steel ;  and  we  perceived,  to  our  chagrin,  that  they 
extended  midway  up  the  elevation  we  proposed  to  ascend. 

For  a  moment  we  gazed  about  us  in  quest  of  a  more  practica 
ble  route ;  it  was,  however,  at  once  apparent  that  there  was  no 
resource  but  to  pierce  this  thicket  of  canes  at  all  hazards.  We 
now  reversed  our  order  of  march,  I,  being  the  heaviest,  taking 
the  lead,  with  a  view  of  breaking  a  path  through  the  obstruction, 
while  Toby  fell  into  the  rear. 


46  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  vi. 

Two  or  three  times  I  endeavored  to  insinuate  myself  between 
the  canes,  and  by  dint  of  coaxing  and  bending  them  to  make  some 
progress ;  but  a  bull-frog  might  as  well  have  tried  to  work  a 
passage  through  the  teeth  of  a  comb,  and  I  gave  up  the  attempt 
in  despair. 

Half  wild  with  meeting  an  obstacle  we  had  so  little  anticipat 
ed,  I  threw  myself  desperately  against  it,  crushing  to  the  ground 
the  canes  with  which  I  came  in  contact,  and,  rising  to  my  feet 
again,  repeated  the  action  with  like  effect.  Twenty  minutes  of 
this  violent  exercise  almost  exhausted  me,  but  it  carried  us  some 
way  into  the  thicket ;  when  Toby,  who  had  been  reaping  the 
benefit  of  my  labors  by  following  close  at  my  heels,  proposed 
to  become  pioneer  in  turn,  and  accordingly  passed  ahead  with 
a  view  of  affording  me  a  respite  from  my  exertions.  As  how 
ever  with  his  slight  frame  he  made  but  bad  work  of  it,  I  was 
soon  obliged  to  resume  my  old  place  again. 

On  we  toiled,  the  perspiration  starting  from  our  bodies  in 
floods,  our  limbs  torn  and  lacerated  with  the  splintered  frag 
ments  of  the  broken  canes,  until  we  had  proceeded  perhaps  as 
far  as  the  middle  of  the  brake,  when  suddenly  it  ceased  raining, 
and  the  atmosphere  around  us  became  close  and  sultry  beyond 
expression.  The  elasticity  of  the  reeds  quickly  recovering  from 
the  temporary  pressure  of  our  bodies,  caused  them  to  spring 
back  to  their  original  position  ;  so  that  they  closed  in  upon  us  as 
we  advanced,  and  prevented  the  circulation  of  the  little  air  which 
might  otherwise  have  reached  us.  Besides  this,  their  great 
height  completely  shut  us  out  from  the  view  of  surrounding  ob 
jects,  and  we  were  not  certain  but  that  we  might  have  been  going 
all  the  time  in  a  wrong  direction. 

Fatigued  with  my  long-continued  efforts,  and  panting  for 
breath,  I  felt  myself  completely  incapacitated  for  any  further 
exertion.  I  rolled  up  the  sleeve  of  my  frock,  and  squeezed  the 
moisture  it  contained  into  my  parched  mouth.  But  the  few 


CHAP,  vi.]  THEIR  EXTRICATION.  47 

drops  I  managed  to  obtain  gave  me  little  relief,  and  I  sank  down 
for  a  moment  with  a  sort  of  dogged  apathy,  from  which  I  was 
aroused  by  Toby,  who  had  devised  a  plan  to  free  us  from  the  net 
in  which  we  had  become  entangled. 

He  was  laying  about  him  lustily  with  his  sheath-knife,  lopping 
the  canes  right  and  left,  like  a  reaper,  and  soon  made  quite  a 
clearing  around  us.  This  sight  reanimated  me  ;  and  seizing  my 
own  knife,  I  hacked  and  hewed  away  without  mercy.  But  alas  ! 
the  farther  we  advanced  the  thicker  and  taller,  and  apparently 
the  more  interminable,  the  reeds  became. 

I  began  to  think  we  were  fairly  snared,  and  had  almost  made 
up  my  mind  that  without  a  pair  of  wings  we  should  never  be 
able  to  escape  from  the  toils ;  when  all  at  once  I  discerned  a 
peep  of  daylight  through  the  canes  on  my  right,  and,  communi 
cating  the  joyful  tidings  to  Toby,  we  both  fell  to  with  fresh  spirit, 
and  speedily  opening  a  passage  towards  it  we  found  ourselves 
clear  of  perplexities,  and  in  the  near  vicinity  of  the  ridge. 

After  resting  for  a  few  moments  we  began  the  ascent,  and 
after  a  little  vigorous  climbing  found  ourselves  close  to  its  sum 
mit.  Instead  however  of  walking  along  its  ridge,  where  we 
should  have  been  in  full  view  of  the  natives  in  the  vales  beneath, 
and  at  a  point  where  they  could  easily  intercept  us  were  they  so 
inclined,  we  cautiously  advanced  on  one  side,  crawling  on  our 
hands  and  knees,  and  screened  from  observation  by  the  grass 
through  which  we  glided,  much  in  the  fashion  of  a  couple  of  ser 
pents.  After  an  hour  employed  in  this  unpleasant  kind  of  loco 
motion,  we  started  to  our  feet  again  and  pursued  our  way  boldly 
along  the  crest  of  the  ridge. 

This  salient  spur  of  the  lofty  elevations  that  encompassed  the 
bay  rose  with  a  sharp  angle  from  the  valleys  at  its  base,  and  pre 
sented,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  steep  acclivities,  the  appear 
ance  of  a  vast  inclined  plane,  sweeping  down  towards  the  sea 
from  the  heights  in  the  distance.  We  had  ascended  it  near  the 


43  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  vi. 

place  of  its  termination  and  at  its  lowest  point,  and  now  saw  our 
route  to  the  mountains  distinctly  defined  along  its  narrow  crest, 
which  was  covered  with  a  soft  carpet  of  verdure,  and  was  in 
many  parts  only  a  few  feet  wide. 

Elated  with  the  success  which  had  so  far  attended  our  enter 
prise,  and  invigorated  by  the  refreshing  atmosphere  we  now  in 
haled,  Toby  and  I  in  high  spirits  were  making  our  way  rapidly 
along  the  ridge,  when  suddenly  from  the  valleys  below  which 
lay  on  either  side  of  us  we  heard  the  distant  shouts  of  the  natives, 
who  had  just  descried  us,  and  to  whom  our  figures,  brought  in 
bold  relief  against  the  sky,  were  plainly  revealed. 

Glancing  our  eyes  into  these  valleys,  we  perceived  their 
savage  inhabitants  hurrying  to  and  fro,  seemingly  under  the  in 
fluence  of  some  sudden  alarm,  and  appearing  to  the  eye  scarcely 
bigger  than  so  many  pigmies ;  while  their  white  thatched  dwel 
lings,  dwarfed  by  the  distance,  looked  like  baby-houses.  As  we 
looked  down  upon  the  islanders  from  our  lofty  elevation,  we  expe 
rienced  a  sense  of  security ;  feeling  confident  that,  should  they 
undertake  a  pursuit,  it  would,  from  the  start  we  now  had,  prove 
entirely  fruitless,  unless  they  followed  us  into  the  mountains, 
where  we  knew  they  cared  not  to  venture. 

However,  we  thought  it  as  well  to  make  the  most  of  our  time  ; 
and  accordingly,  where  the  ground  would  admit  of  it,  we  ran 
swiftly  along  the  summit  of  the  ridge,  until  we  were  brought  to 
a  stand  by  a  steep  cliff,  which  at  first  seemed  to  interpose  an 
effectual  barrier  to  our  farther  advance.  By  dint  of  much  hard 
scrambling  however,  and  at  some  risk  to  our  necks,  we  at  last  sur 
mounted  it,  and  continued  our  flight  with  unabated  celerity. 

We  had  left  the  beach  early  in  the  morning,  and  after  an  un. 
interrupted,  though  at  times  difficult  and  dangerous  ascent,  during 
which  we  had  never  once  turned  our  faces  to  the  sea,  we  found 
ourselves,  about  three  hours  before  sunset,  standing  on  the  top  of 
what  seemed  to  be  the  highest  land  on  the  island,  an  immense 


.  vi.]  SCENERY  AROUND  NUKUHEVA.  49 

overhanging  cliff  composed  of  basaltic  rocks,  hung  round  with 
parasitical  plants.  We  must  have  been  more  than  three  thousand 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  the  scenery  viewed  from  this 
height  was  magnificent. 

The  lonely  bay  of  Nukuheva,  dotted  here  and  there  with  the 
black  hulls  of  the  vessels  composing  the  French  squadron,  lay 
reposing  at  the  base  of  a  circular  range  of  elevations,  whose  ver 
dant  sides,  perforated  with  deep  glens  or  diversified  with  smiling 
valleys,  formed  altogether  the  loveliest  view  I  ever  beheld,  and 
were  I  to  live  a  hundred  years,  I  shall  never  forget  the  feeling  of 
admiration  which  I  then  experienced. 


50  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  vn. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

The  other  side  of  the  Mountain — Disappointment — Inventory  of  Articles 
brought  from  the  Ship — Division  of  the  Stock  of  Bread — Appearance  of 
the  Interior  of  the  Island — A  Discovery — A  Ravine  and  Waterfalls — A 
Sleepless  Night — Further  Discoveries — My  Illness — A  Marquesan  Land 
scape. 

MY  curiosity  had  been  not  a  little  raised  with  regard  to  the  de 
scription  of  country  we  should  meet  on  the  other  side  of  the  moun 
tains  ;  and  I  had  supposed,  with  Toby,  that  immediately  on  gain 
ing  the  heights  we  should  be  enabled  to  view  the  large  bays  of 
Happar  and  Typee  reposing  at  our  feet  on  one  side,  in  the  same 
way  that  Nukuheva  lay  spread  out  below  on  the  other.  But  here 
we  were  disappointed.  Instead  of  finding  the  mountain  we  had 
ascended  sweeping  down  in  the  opposite  direction  into  broad  and 
capacious  valleys,  the  land  appeared  to  retain  its  general  eleva 
tion,  only  broken  into  a  series  of  ridges  and  intervals,  which  as 
far  as  the  eye  could  reach  stretched  away  from  us,  with  their 
precipitous  sides  covered  with  the  brightest  verdure,  and  waving 
here  and  there  with  the  foliage  of  clumps  of  woodland  ;  among 
which,  however,  we  perceived  none  of  those  trees  upon  whose 
fruit  we  had  relied  with  such  certainty. 

This  was  a  most  unlooked-for  discovery,  and  one  that  promised 
to  defeat  our  plans  altogether,  for  we  could  not  think  of  descend 
ing  the  mountain  on  the  Nukuheva  side  in  quest  of  food.  Should 
we  for  this  purpose  be  induced  to  retrace  our  steps,  we  should  run 
no  small  chance  of  encountering  the  natives,  who  in  that  case,  if 
they  did  nothing  worse  to  us,  would  be  certain  to  convey  us  back 
to  the  ship  for  the  sake  of  the  reward  in  calico  and  trinkets,  which 


CHAP,  vn.]  TOBY'S  STORE  PRODUCED.  51 

we  had  no  doubt  our  skipper  would  hold  out  to  them  as  an  induce- 
ment  to  our  capture. 

What  was  to  be  done  ?  The  Dolly  would  not  sail  perhaps  for 
ten  days,  and  how  were  we  to  sustain  life  during  this  period  ?  I 
bitterly  repented  our  improvidence  in  not  providing  ourselves,  as 
we  easily  might  have  done,  with  a  supply  of  biscuit.  With  a 
rueful  visage  I  now  bethought  me  of  the  scanty  handful  of  bread 
I  had  stuffed  into  the  bosom  of  my  frock,  and  felt  somewhat  de 
sirous  to  ascertain  what  part  of  it  had  weathered  the  rather  rough 
usage  it  had  experienced  in  ascending  the  mountain.  I  accord 
ingly  proposed  to  Toby  that  we  should  enter  into  a  joint  exami 
nation  of  the  various  articles  we  had  brought  from  the  ship.  With 
this  intent  we  seated  ourselves  upon  the  grass  ;  and  a  little  curi 
ous  to  see  with  what  kind  of  judgment  my  companion  had  filled 
his  frock — which  I  remarked  seemed  about  as  well  lined  as  my 
own — I  requested  him  to  commence  operations  by  spreading  out 
its  contents. 

Thrusting  his  hand,  then,  into  the  bosom  of  this  capacious  re 
ceptacle,  he  first  brought  to  light  about  a  pound  of  tobacco,  whose 
component  parts  still  adhered  together,  the  whole  outside  being 
covered  with  soft  particles  of  sea-bread.  Wet  and  dripping,  it  had 
the  appearance  of  having  been  just  recovered  from  the  bottom  of 
the  sea.  But  I  paid  slight  attention  to  a  substance  of  so  little 
value  to  us  in  our  present  situation,  as  soon  as  I  perceived  the 
indications  it  gave  of  Toby's  foresight  in  laying  in  a  supply  of 
food  for  the  expedition. 

I  eagerly  inquired  what  quantity  he  had  brought  with  him, 
when,  rummaging  once  more  beneath  his  garment,  he  produced 
a  small  handful  of  something  so  soft,  pulpy,  and  discolored,  that 
for  a  few  moments  he  was  as  much  puzzled  as  myself  to  tell  by 
what  possible  instrumentality  such  a  villainous  compound  had 
become  engendered  in  his  bosom.  I  can  only  describe  iKas  a 
hash  of  soaked  bread  and  bits  of  tobacco,  brought  to  a  d 


52  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  vn. 

consistency  by  the  united  agency  of  perspiration  and  rain.  But 
repulsive  as  it  might  otherwise  have  been,  I  now  regarded  it  as 
an  invaluable  treasure,  and  proceeded  with  great  care  to  transfer 
this  paste-like  mass  to  a  large  leaf  which  I  had  plucked  from  a 
bush  beside  me.  Toby  informed  me  that  in  the  morning  he  had 
placed  two  whole  biscuits  in  his  bosom,  with  a  view  of  munching 
them,  should  he  feel  so  inclined,  during  our  flight.  These  were 
now  reduced  to  the  equivocal  substance  which  I  had  just  placed 
on  the  leaf. 

Another  dive  into  the  frock  brought  to  view  some  four  or  five 
yards  of  calico  print,  whose  tasteful  pattern  was  rather  disfigured 
by  the  yellow  stains  of  the  tobacco  with  which  it  had  been 
brought  in  contact.  In  drawing  this  calico  slowly  from  his 
bosom  inch  by  inch,  Toby  reminded  me  of  a  juggler  performing 
the  feat  of  the  endless  ribbon.  The  next  cast  was  a  small  one, 
being  a  sailor's  little  "  ditty  bag,"  containing  needles,  thread,  and 
other  sewing  utensils  ;  then  came  a  razor-case,  followed  by  two 
or  three  separate  plugs  of  negro-head,  which  were  fished  up  from 
the  bottom  of  the  now  empty  receptacle.  These  various  matters 
being  inspected,  I  produced  the  few  things  which  I  had  myself 
brought. 

As  might  have  been  anticipated  from  the  state  of  my  com 
panion's  edible  supplies,  I  found  my  own  in  a  deplorable  condi 
tion,  and  diminished  to  a  quantity  that  would  not  have  formed  half 
a  dozen  mouthfuls  for  a  hungry  man  who  was  partial  enough  to 
tobacco  not  to  mind  swallowing  it.  A  few  morsels  of  bread,  with 
a  fathom  or  two  of  white  cotton  cloth,  and  several  pounds  of 
choice  pigtail,  composed  the  extent  of  my  possessions. 

Our  joint  stock  of  miscellaneous  articles  were  now  made  up 
into  a  compact  bundle,  which  it  was  agreed  we  should  carry 
alternate  y.  But  the  sorry  remains  of  the  biscuit  were  not  to  be 
disposed  t  f  so  summarily  :  the  precarious  circumstances  in  which 
we  were  placed  made  us  regard  them  as  something  on  which  very 


CHAP,  vii.]  TOBY'S  FASTIDIOUSNESS.  53 

probably  depended  the  fate  of  our  adventure.  After  a  brief  dis 
cussion,  in  which  we  both  of  us  expressed  our  resolution  of  not 
descending  into  the  bay  until  the  ship's  departure,  I  suggested  to 
my  companion  that  little  of  it  as  there  was,  we  should  divide  the 
bread  into  six  equal  portions,  each  of  which  should  be  a  day's 
allowance  for  both  of  us.  This  proposition  he  assented  to  ;  so  I 
took  the  silk  kerchief  from  my  neck,  and  cutting  it  with  my 
knife  into  half  a  dozen  equal  pieces,  proceeded  to  make  an  exact 
division. 

At  first,  Toby,  with  a  degree  of  fastidiousness  that  seemed  to 
me  ill-timed,  was  for  picking  out  the  minute  particles  of  tobacco 
with  which  the  spongy  mass  was  mixed  ;  but  against  this  pro 
ceeding  I  protested,  as  by  such  an  operation  we  must  have  greatly 
diminished  its  quantity. 

When  the  division  was  accomplished,  we  found  that  a  day's 
allowance  for  the  two  was  not  a  great  deal  more  than  what  a 
table-spoon  might  hold.  Each  separate  portion  we  immediately 
rolled  up  in  the  bit  of  silk  prepared  for  it,  and  joining  them 
all  together  into  a  small  package,  I  committed  them,  with  solemn 
injunctions  of  fidelity,  to  the  custody  of  Toby.  For  the  remain 
der  of  that  day  we  resolved  to  fast,  as  we  had  been  fortified  by  a 
breakfast  in  the  morning  ;  and  now  starting  again  to  our  feet, 
we  looked  about  us  for  a  shelter  during  the  night,  which,  from  the 
appearance  of  the  heavens,  promised  to  be  a  dark  and  tempestu 
ous  one. 

There  was  no  place  near  us  which  would  in  any  way  answer 
our  purpose;  so  turning  our  backs  upon  Nukuheva,  we  com 
menced  exploring  the  unknown  regions  which  lay  upon  the  other 
side  of  the  mountain. 

In  this  direction,  as  far  as  our  vision  extended,  not  a  sign  of 
life,  nor  anything  that  denoted  even  the  transient  residence  of 
man,  could  be  seen.  The  whole  landscape  seemed  one  unbroken 
solitude,  the  interior  of  the  island  having  apparently  been  un- 


54  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP,  vn 

tenanted  since  the  morning  of  the  creation  ;  and  as  we  advanced 
through  this  wilderness,  our  voices  sounded  strangely  in  our  ears, 
as  though  human  accents  had  never  before  disturbed  the  fearful 
silence  of  the  place,  interrupted  only  by  the  low  murmurings  of 
distant  waterfalls. 

Our  disappointment,  however,  in  not  finding  the  various  fruits 
with  which  we  had  intended  to  regale  ourselves  during  our  stay 
in  these  wilds,  was  a  good  deal  lessened  by  the  consideration  that 
from  this  very  circumstance  we  should  be  much  less  exposed  to 
a  casual  meeting  with  the  savage  tribes  about  us,  who  we  knew 
always  dwelt  beneath  the  shadows  of  those  trees  which  supplied 
them  with  food. 

We  wandered  along,  casting  eager  glances  into  every  bush  we 
passed,  until  just  as  we  had  succeeded  in  mounting  one  of  the 
many  ridges  that  intersected  the  ground,  I  saw  in  the  grass  before 
me  something  like  an  indistinctly  traced  footpath,  which  appeared 
to  lead  along  the  top  of  the  ridge,  and  to  descend  with  it  into  a 
deep  ravine  about  half  a  mile  in  advance  of  us. 

Robinson  Crusoe  could  not  have  been  more  startled  at  the  foot 
print  in  the  sand  than  we  were  at  this  unwelcome  discovery. 
My  first  impulse  was  to  make  as  rapid  a  retreat  as  possible,  and 
bend  our  steps  in  some  other  direction ;  but  our  curiosity  to  see 
whither  this  path  might  lead,  prompted  us  to  pursue  it.  So  on 
we  went,  the  track  becoming  more  and  more  visible  the  farther 
we  proceeded,  until  it  conducted  us  to  the  verge  of  the  ravine, 
where  it  abruptly  terminated. 

"  And  so,"  said  Toby,  peering  down  into  the  chasm,  "  every 
one  that  travels  this  path  takes  a  jump  here,  eh  ?" 

"  Not  so,"  said  I,  u  for  I  think  they  might  manage  to  descend 
without  it ;  what  say  you, — shall  we  attempt  the  feat  ?" 

"  And  what,  in  the  name  of  caves  and  coal-holes,  do  you  ex 
pect  to  find  at  the  bottom  of  that  gulf  but  a  broken  neck — why  it 


CHAP,  vii.]  A  COLLOQUY.  55 

looks  blacker  than  our  ship's  hold,  and  the  roar  of  those  waterfalls 
down  there  would  batter  one's  brains  to  pieces." 

"  Oh,  no,  Toby,"  I  exclaimed,  laughing ;  "  but  there's  some- 
thing  to  be  seen  here,  that's  plain,  or  there  would  have  been  no 
path,  and  I  am  resolved  to  find  out  what  it  is." 

"  I  will  tell  you  what,  my  pleasant  fellow,"  rejoined  Toby 
quickly,  "  if  you  are  going  to  pry  into  everything  you  meet  with 
here  that,  excites  your  curiosity,  you  will  marvellously  soon  get 
knocked  on  the  head ;  to  a  dead  certainty  you  will  come  bang 
upon  a  party  of  these  savages  in  the  midst  of  your  discovery- 
makings,  and  I  doubt  whether  such  an  event  would  particularly 
delight  you.  Just  take  my  advice  for  once,  and  let  us  'bout  ship 
and  steer  in  some  other  direction ;  besides,  it 's  getting  late,  and 
we  ought  to  be  mooring  ourselves  for  the  night." 

"  That  is  just  the  thing  I  have  been  driving  at,"  replied  I ; 
"  and  I  am  thinking  that  this  ravine  will  exactly  answer  our  pur 
pose,  for  it  is  roomy,  secluded,  well  watered,  and  may  shelter  us 
from  the  weather." 

"  Aye,  and  from  sleep  too,  and  by  the  same  token  will  give  us 
sore  throats,  and  rheumatisms  into  the  bargain,"  cried  Toby, 
with  evident  dislike  at  the  idea. 

"  Oh,  very  well  then,  my  lad,"  said  I,  "  since  you  will  not 
accompany  me,  here  I  go  alone.  You  will  see  me  in  the  morn 
ing;"  and  advancing  to  the  edge  of  the  cliff  upon  which  we  had 
been  standing,  I  proceeded  to  lower  myself  down  by  the  tangled 
roots  which  clustered  about  all  the  crevices  of  the  rock.  As  I 
had  anticipated,  Toby,  in  spite  of  his  previous  remonstrances,  fol 
lowed  my  example,  and  dropping  himself  with  the  activity  of  a 
squirrel  from  point  to  point,  he  quickly  outstripped  me,  and  effected 
a  landing  at  the  bottom  before  I  had  accomplished  two-thirds  of 
the  descent. 

The  sight  that  now  greeted  us  was  one  that  will  ever  be  vividly 
impressed  upon  my  mind.  Five  foaming  streams,  rushing  through 


56  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  vn. 

as  many  gorges,  and  swelled  and  turbid  by  the  recent  rains, 
united  together  in  one  mad  plunge  of  nearly  eighty  feet,  and  fell 
with  wild  uproar  into  a  deep  black  pool  scooped  out  of  the  gloomy 
looking  rocks  that  lay  piled  around,  and  thence  in  one  collected 
body  dashed  down  a  narrow  sloping  channel  which  seemed  to 
penetrate  into  the  very  bowels  of  the  earth.  Overhead,  vast  roots 
of  trees  hung  down  from  the  sides  of  the  ravine  dripping  with 
moisture,  and  trembling  with  the  concussions  produced  by  the  fall. 
It  was  now  sunset,  and  the  feeble  uncertain  light  that  found  its 
way  into  these  caverns  and  woody  depths  heightened  their  strange 
appearance,  and  reminded  us  that  in  a  short  time  we  should  find 
ourselves  in  utter  darkness. 

As  soon  as  I  had  satisfied  my  curiosity  by  gazing  at  this  scene, 
I  fell  to  wondering  how  it  was  that  what  we  had  taken  for  a  path 
should  have  conducted  us  to  so  singular  a  place,  and  began  to 
suspect  that  after  all  I  might  have  been  deceived  in  supposing  it 
to  have  been  a  track  formed  by  the  islanders.  This  was  rather 
an  agreeable  reflection  than  otherwise,  for  it  diminished  our  dread 
of  accidentally  meeting  with  any  of  them,  and  I  came  to  the  con 
clusion  that  perhaps  we  could  not  have  selected  a  more  secure 
hiding-place  than  this  very  spot  we  had  so  accidentally  hit  upon. 
Toby  agreed  with  me  in  this  view  of  the  matter,  and  we  immedi 
ately  began  gathering  together  the  limbs  of  trees  which  lay  scat 
tered  about,  with  the  view  of  constructing  a  temporary  hut  for 
the  night.  This  we  were  obliged  to  build  close  to  the  foot  of  the 
cataract,  for  the  current  of  water  extended  very  nearly  to  the 
sides  of  the  gorge.  The  few  moments  of  light  that  remained  we 
employed  in  covering  our  hut  with  a  species  of  broad-bladed  grass 
that  grew  in  every  fissure  of  the  ravine.  Our  hut,  if  it  deserved 
to  be  called  one,  consisted  of  six  or  eight  of  the  straightest  branches 
we  could  find  laid  obliquely  against  the  steep  wall  of  rock,  with 
their  lower  ends  within  a  foot  of  the  stream.  Into  the  space  thus 


CHAP,  vii.]  TOBY'S  RAGE.  57 

covered  over  we  managed  to  crawl,  and  dispose  our  wearied  bo 
dies  as  best  we  could. 

Shall  I  ever  forget  that  horrid  night !  As  for  poor  Toby,  I 
could  scarcely  get  a  word  out  of  him.  It  would  have  been  some 
consolation  to  have  heard  his  voice,  but  he  lay  shivering  the  live 
long  night  like  a  man  afflicted  with  the  palsy,  with  his  knees 
drawn  up  to  his  head,  while  his  back  was  supported  against  the 
dripping  side  of  the  rock.  During  this  wretched  night  there 
seemed  nothing  wanting  to  complete  the  perfect  misery  of  our 
condition.  The  rain  descended  in  such  torrents  that  our  poor 
shelter  proved  a  mere  mockery.  In  vain  did  I  try  to  elude  the 
incessant  streams  that  poured  upon  me ;  by  protecting  one  part  I 
only  exposed  another,  and  the  water  was  continually  finding  some 
new  opening  through  which  to  drench  us. 

I  have  had  many  a  ducking  in  the  course  of  my  life,  and  in 
general  cared  little  about  it ;  but  the  accumulated  horrors  of  that 
night,  the  deathlike  coldness  of  the  place,  the  appalling  dark 
ness  and  the  dismal  sense  of  our  forlorn  condition,  almost  un 
manned  me. 

It  will  not  be  doubted  that  the  next  morning  we  were  early 
risers,  and  as  soon  as  I  could  catch  the  faintest  glimpse  of  anything 
like  daylight  I  shook  my  companion  by  the  arm,  and  told  him  it 
was  sunrise.  Poor  Toby  lifted  up  his  head,  and  after  a  moment's 
pause  said,  in  a  husky  voice,  "  Then,  shipmate,  my  toplights 
have  gone  out,  for  it  appears  darker  now  with  my  eyes  open  than 
it  did  when  they  were  shut." 

"  Nonsense  !"  exclaimed  I ;  "  you  are  not  awake  yet." 

"  Awake !"  roared  Toby  in  a  rage,  "  awake !  You  mean  to 
insinuate  I  've  been  asleep,  do  you  ?  It  is  an  insult  to  a  man  to 
suppose  he  could  sleep  in  such  an  infernal  place  as  this." 

By  the  time  I  had  apologized  to  my  friend  for  having  miscon 
strued  his  silence,  it  had  become  somewhat  more  light,  and  we 
crawled  out  of  our  lair.  The  rain  had  ceased,  but  everything 


58  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  vn. 

around  us  was  dripping  with  moisture.  We  stripped  off  our  satu 
rated  garments,  and  wrung  them  as  dry  as  we  could.  We  con 
trived  to  make  the  blood  circulate  in  our  benumbed  limbs  by  rub 
bing  them  vigorously  with  our  hands ;  and  after  performing  our 
ablutions  in  the  stream,  and  putting  on  our  still  wet  clothes,  we 
began  to  think  it  advisable  to  break  our  long  fast,  it  being  now 
twenty- four  hours  since  we  had  tasted  food. 

Accordingly  our  day's  ration  was  brought  out,  and  seating  our 
selves  on  a  detached  fragment  of  rock,  we  proceeded  to  discuss  it. 
First  w.e  divided  it  into  two  equal  portions,  and  carefully  rolling 
one  of  them  up  for  our  evening's  repast,  divided  the  remainder 
again  as  equally  as  possible,  and  then  drew  lots  for  the  first  choice. 
I  could  have  placed  the  morsel  that  fell  to  my  share  upon  the  tip 
of  my  finger ;  but  notwithstanding  this  I  took  care  that  it  should 
be  full  ten  minutes  before  I  had  swallowed  the  last  crumb.  What 
a  true  saying  it  is  that  "  appetite  furnishes  the  best  sauce !" 
There  was  a  flavor  and  a  relish  to  this  small  particle  of  food  that 
under  other  circumstances  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  the 
most  delicate  viands  to  have  imparted.  A  copious  draught  of  the 
pure  water  which  flowed  at  our  feet  served  to  complete  the  meal, 
and  after  it  we  rose  sensibly  refreshed,  and  prepared  for  whatever 
might  befall  us. 

We  now  carefully  examined  the  chasm  in  which  we  had  passed 
the  night.  We  crossed  the  stream,  and  gaining  the  further  side 
of  the  pool  I  have  mentioned,  discovered  proofs  that  the  spot  must 
have  been  visited  by  some  one  but  a  short  time  previous  to  our 
arrival.  Further  observation  convinced  us  that  it  had  been  regu 
larly  frequented,  and,  as  we  afterwards  conjectured  from  particu 
lar  indications,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  a  certain  root,  from 
which  the  natives  obtained  a  kind  of  ointment. 

These  discoveries  immediately  determined  us  to  abandon  a 
place  which  had  presented  no  inducement  for  us  to  remain,  except 
the  promise  of  security ;  and  as  we  looked  about  us  for  the  means 


CHAP,  vii.]  SEARCH  FOR  A  BETTER  HIDING-PLACE.  59 


of  ascending  again  into  the  upper  regions,  we  at  last  found  a  prac 
ticable  part  of  the  rock,  and  half  an  hour's  toil  carried  us  to  the 
summit  of  the  same  cliff  from  which  the  preceding  evening  we 
had  descended. 

I  now  proposed  to  Toby  that  instead  of  rambling  about  the 
island,  exposing  ourselves  to  discovery  at  every  turn,  we  should 
select  some  place  as  our  fixed  abode  for  as  long  a  period  as  our 
food  should  hold  out,  build  ourselves  a  comfortable  hut,  and  be 
as  prudent  and  circumspect  as  possible.  To  all  this  my  com 
panion  assented,  and  we  at  once  set  about  carrying  the  plan  into 
execution. 

With  this  view,  after  exploring  without  success  a  little  glen  near 
us,  we  crossed  several  of  the  ridges  of  which  I  have  before  spoken ; 
and  about  noon  found  ourselves  ascending  a  long  and  gradually 
rising  slope,  but  still  without  having  discovered  any  place  adapted 
to  our  purpose.  Low  and  heavy  clouds  betokened  an  approach 
ing  storm,  and  we  hurried  on  to  gain  a  covert  in  a  clump  of  thick 
bushes,  which  appeared  to  terminate  the  long  ascent.  We  threw 
ourselves  under  the  lee  of  these  bushes,  and  pulling  up  the  long 
grass  that  grew  around,  covered  ourselves  completely  with  it,  and 
awaited  the  shower. 

But  it  did  not  come  as  soon  as  we  had  expected,  and  before 
many  minutes  my  companion  was  fast  asleep,  and  I  was  rapidly 
falling  into  the  same  state  of  happy  forgetfulness.  Just  at  this 
juncture,  however,  down  came  the  rain  with  a  violence  that  put 
all  thoughts  of  slumber  to  flight.  Although  in  some  measure 
sheltered,  our  clothes  soon  became  as  wet  as  ever ;  this,  after  all 
the  trouble  we  had  taken  to  dry  them,  was  provoking  enough : 
but  there  was  no  help  for  it ;  and  I  recommend  all  adventurous 
youths  who  abandon  vessels  in  romantic  islands  during  the  rainy 
season  to  provide  themselves  with  umbrellas. 

After  an  hour  or  so  the  shower  passed  away.  My  companion 
slept  through  it  all,  or  at  least  appeared  so  to  do ;  and  now  that  it 


60  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  vn. 

was  over  I  had  not  the  heart  to  awaken  him.  As  I  lay  on  my 
back  completely  shrouded  with  verdure,  the  leafy  branches 
drooping  over  me,  and  my  limbs  buried  in  grass,  I  could  not  avoid 
comparing  our  situation  with  that  of  the  interesting  babes  in  the 
wood.  Poor  little  sufferers ! — no  wonder  their  constitutions  broke 
down  under  the  hardships  to  which  they  were  exposed. 

During  the  hour  or  two  spent  under  the  shelter  of  these  bushes, 
I  began  to  feel  symptoms  which  I  at  once  attributed  to  the  expo 
sure  of  the  preceding  night.  Cold  shiverings  and  a  burning  fever 
succeeded  one  another  at  intervals,  while  one  of  my  legs  was 
swelled  to  such  a  degree,  and  pained  me  so  acutely,  that  I  half 
suspected  I  had  been  bitten  by  some  venomous  reptile,  the  con 
genial  inhabitant  of  the  chasm  from  which  we  had  lately  emerged. 
I  may  here  remark  by  the  way — what  I  subsequently  learned — 
that  all  the  islands  of  Polynesia  enjoy  the  reputation,  in  common 
with  the  Hibernian  isle,  of  being  free  from  the  presence  of  any 
vipers  ;  though  whether  Saint  Patrick  ever  visited  them,  is  a  ques 
tion  I  shall  not  attempt  to  decide. 

As  the  feverish  sensation  increased  upon  me  I  tossed  about,  still 
unwilling  to  disturb  my  slumbering  companion,  from  whose  side 
I  removed  two  or  three  yards.  I  chanced  to  push  aside  a  branch, 
and  by  so  doing  suddenly  disclosed  to  my  view  a  scene  which 
even  now  I  can  recall  with  all  the  vividness  of  the  first  impres 
sion.  Had  a  glimpse  of  the  gardens  of  Paradise  been  revealed 
to  me,  I  could  scarcely  have  been  more  ravished  with  the  sight. 

From  the  spot  where  I  lay  transfixed  with  surprise  and  delight, 
I  looked  straight  down  into  the  bosom  of  a  valley,  which  swept 
away  in  long  wavy  undulations  to  the  blue  waters  in  the  distance. 
Midway  towards  the  sea,  and  peering  here  and  there  amidst  the 
foliage,  might  be  seen  the  palmetto-thatched  houses  of  its  inhabit 
ants  glistening  in  the  sun  that  had  bleached  them  to  a  dazzling 
whiteness.  The  vale  was  more  than  three  leagues  in  length,  and 
about  a  mile  across  at  its  greatest  width. 


CHAP,  vii.]  VARIED  SCENERY.  61 

On  either  side  it  appeared  hemmed  in  by  steep  and  green  ac 
clivities,  which,  uniting  near  the  spot  where  I  lay,  formed  an 
abrupt  and  semicircular  termination  of  grassy  cliffs  and  precipices 
hundreds  of  feet  in  height,  over  which  flowed  numberless  small 
cascades.  But  the  crowning  beauty  of  the  prospect  was  its  uni 
versal  verdure ;  and  in  this  indeed  consists,  I  believe,  the  peculiar 
charm  of  every  Polynesian  landscape.  Everywhere  below  me, 
from  the  base  of  the  precipice  upon  whose  very  verge  I  had  been 
unconsciously  reposing,  the  surface  of  the  vale  presented  a  mass 
of  foliage,  spread  with  such  rich  profusion  that  it  was  impossible 
to  determine  of  what  description  of  trees  it  consisted. 

But  perhaps  there  was  nothing  about  the  scenery  I  beheld  more 
impressive  than  those  silent  cascades,  whose  slender  threads  of 
water,  after  leaping  down  the  steep  cliffs,  were  lost  amidst  the 
rich  herbage  of  the  valley. 

Over  all  the  landscape  there  reigned  the  most  hushed  repose, 
which  I  almost  feared  to  break,  lest,  like  the  enchanted  gardens 
in  the  fairy  tale,  a  single  syllable  might  dissolve  the  spell.  For 
a  long  time,  forgetful  alike  of  my  own  situation,  and  the  vicinity 
of  my  still  slumbering  companion,  I  remained  gazing  around  me, 
hardly  able  to  comprehend  by  what  means  I  had  thus  suddenly 
been  made  a  spectator  of  such  a  scene. 


62  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.          [CHAP.  vm. 

• 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Important  Question,  Typee  or  Happar  ?— A  Wild  Goose  Chase — My 
Sufferings — Disheartening  Situation — A  Night  in  a  Ravine — Morning 
Meal — Happy  Idea  of  Toby — Journey  towards  the  Valley. 

RECOVERING  from  my  astonishment  at  the  beautiful  scene  before 
me,  I  quickly  awakened  Toby,  and  informed  him  of  the  discovery 
I  had  made.  Together  we  now  repaired  to  the  border  of  the 
precipice,  and  my  companion's  admiration  was  equal  to  my  own. 
A  little  reflection,  however,  abated  our  surprise  at  coming  so  un 
expectedly  upon  this  valley,  since  the  large  vales  of  Happar  and 
Typee,  lying  upon  this  ride  of  Nukuheva,  and  extending  a  con 
siderable  distance  from  the  sea  towards  the  interior,  must  neces 
sarily  terminate  somewhere  about  this  point. 

The  question  now  was  as  to  which  of  those  two  places  we  were 
looking  down  upon.  Toby  insisted  that  it  was  the  abode  of  the 
Happars,  and  I  that  it  was  tenanted  by  their  enemies,  the  fero 
cious  Typees.  To  be  sure  I  was  not  entirely  convinced  by  my 
own  arguments,  but  Toby's  proposition  to  descend  at  once  into  the 
valley,  and  partake  of  the  hospitality  of  its  inmates,  seemed  to  me 
to  be  risking  so  much  upon  the  strength  of  a  mere  supposition, 
that  I  resolved  to  oppose  it  until  we  had  more  evidence  to  pro 
ceed  upon. 

The  point  was  one  of  vital  importance,  as  the  natives  of  Hap 
par  were  not  only  at  peace  with  Nukuheva,  but  cultivated  with 
its  inhabitants  the  most  friendly  relations,  and  enjoyed  beside  a 
reputation  for  gentleness  and  humanity  which  led  us  to  expect 
from  them,  if  not  a  cordial  reception,  at  least  a  shelter  during  the 
short  period  we  should  remain  in  their  territory. 


CHAP,  viii.]  IN  SEARCH  OF  FOOD.  63 

On  the  other  hand,  the  very  name  of  Typee  struck  a  panic  into 
my  heart  which  I  did  not  attempt  to  disguise.  The  thought  of 
voluntarily  throwing  ourselves  into  the  hands  of  these  cruel 
savages,  seemed  to  me  an  act  of  mere  madness;  and  almost 
equally  so  the  idea  of  venturing  into  the  valley,  uncertain  by 
which  of  these  two  tribes  it  was  inhabited.  That  the  vale  at  our 
feet  was  tenanted  by  one  of  them,  was  a  point  that  appeared  to  us 
past  all  doubt,  since  we  knew  that  they  resided  in  this  quarter, 
although  our  information  did  not  enlighten  us  further. 

My  companion,  however,  incapable  of  resisting  the  tempting 
prospect  which  the  place  held  out  of  an  abundant  supply  of  food 
and  other  means  of  enjoyment,  still  clung  to  his  own  inconsi 
derate  view  of  the  subject,  nor  could  all  my  reasoning  shake  it. 
When  I  reminded  him  that  it  was  impossible  for  either  of  us  to 
know  anything  with  certainty,  and  when  I  dwelt  upon  the  hor 
rible  fate  we  should  encounter  were  we  rashly  to  descend  into  the 
valley,  and  discover  too  late  the  error  we  had  committed,  he  re 
plied  by  detailing  all  the  evils  of  our  present  condition,  and  the 
sufferings  we  must  undergo  should  we  continue  to  remain  where 
we  then  were. 

Anxious  to  draw  him  away  from  the  subject,  if  possible — for 
I  saw  that  it  would  be  in  vain  to  attempt  changing  his  mind — I 
directed  his  attention  to  a  long  bright  unwooded  tract  of  land 
which,  sweeping  down  from  the  elevations  in  the  interior,  de 
scended  into  the  valley  before  us.  I  then  suggested  to  him  that 
beyond  this  ridge  might  lie  a  capacious  and  untenanted  valley, 
abounding  with  all  manner  of  delicious  fruits ;  for  I  had  heard 
that  there  were  several  such  upon  the  island,  and  proposed  that 
we  should  endeavor  to  reach  it,  and  if  we  found  our  expectations 
realized  we  should  at  once  take  refuge  in  it  and  remain  there  as 
long  as  we  pleased. 

He  acquiesced  in  the  suggestion  ;  and  vre  immediately,  there 
fore,,  began  surveying  the  country  lying  before  us,  with  a  view 


64  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.        [CHAP.  vm. 

of  determining  upon  the  best  route  for  us  to  pursue ;  but  it  pre 
sented  little  choice,  the  whole  interval  being  broken  into  steep 
ridges,  divided  by  dark  ravines,  extending  in  parallel  lines  at 
right  angles  to  our  direct  course.  All  these  we  would  be  obliged 
to  cross  before  we  could  hope  to  arrive  at  our  destination. 

A  weary  journey !  But  we  decided  to  undertake  it,  though, 
for  my  own  part,  I  felt  little  prepared  to  encounter  its  fatigues, 
shivering  and  burning  by  turns  with  the  ague  and  fever ;  for  I 
know  not  how  else  to  describe  the  alternate  sensations  I  experi 
enced,  and  suffering  not  a  little  from  the  lameness  which  afflicted 
me.  Added  to  this  was  the  faintness  consequent  on  our  meagre 
diet — a  calamity  in  which  Toby  participated  to  the  same  extent 
as  myself. 

These  circumstances,  however,  only  augmented  my  anxiety  to 
reach  a  place  which  promised  us  plenty  and  repose,  before  I 
should  be  reduced  to  a  state  which  would  render  me  altogether 
unable  to  perform  the  journey.  Accordingly  we  now  commenced 
it  by  descending  the  almost  perpendicular  side  of  a  steep  and  nar 
row  gorge,  bristling  with  a  thick  growth  of  reeds.  Here  there 
was  but  one  mode  for  us  to  adopt.  We  seated  ourselves  upon  the 
ground,  and  guided  our  descent  by  catching  at  the  canes  in  our 
path.  The  velocity  with  which  we  thus  slid  down  the  side  of  the 
ravine  soon  brought  us  to  a  point  where  we  could  use  our  feet,  and 
in  a  short  time  we  arrived  at  the  edge  of  the  torrent,  which  rolled 
impetuously  along  the  bed  of  the  chasm. 

After  taking  a  refreshing  draught  from  the  water  of  the 
stream,  we  addressed  ourselves  to  a  much  more  difficult  under 
taking  than  the  last.  Every  foot  of  our  late  descent  had  to  be 
regained  in  ascending  the  opposite  side  of  the  gorge — an  opera 
tion  rendered  the  less  agreeable  from  the  consideration  that  in 
these  perpendicular  episodes  we  did  not  progress  a  hundred 
yards  on  our  journey.  But,  ungrateful  as  the  task  was,  we  set 
about  it  with  exemplary  patience,  and  after  a  snail-like  progress 


CHAP,  viii.]  DISHEARTENING  PROSPECT.  65 

of  an  hour  or  more,  had  scaled  perhaps  one  half  of  the  distance, 
when  the  fever  which  had  left  me  for  awhile  returned  with  such 
violence,  and  accompanied  by  so  raging  a  thirst,  that  it  required 
all  the  entreaties  of  Toby  to  prevent  me  from  losing  all  the 
fruits  of  my  late  exertion,  by  precipitating  myself  madly  down 
the  cliffs  we  had  just  climbed,  in  quest  of  the  water  which  flowed 
so  temptingly  at  their  base.  At  the  moment  all  my  hopes  and 
fears  appeared  to  be  merged  in  this  one  desire,  careless  of  the 
consequences  that  might  result  from  its  gratification.  I  am  aware 
of  no  feeling,  either  of  pleasure  or  of  pain,  that  so  completely 
deprives  one  of  all  power  to  resist  its  impulses,  as  this  same 
raging  thirst. 

Toby  earnestly  conjured  me  to  continue  the  ascent,  assuring 
me  that  a  little  more  exertion  would  bring  us  to  the  summit.,  and 
that  then  in  less  than  five  minutes  we  should  find  ourselves  at  the 
brink  of  the  stream,  which  must  necessarily  flow  on  the  other  side 
of  the  ridge. 

"  Do  not,"  he  exclaimed,  "  turn  back,  now  that  we  have  pro 
ceeded  thus  far  ;  for  I  tell  you  that  neither  of  us  will  have  the 
courage  to  repeat  the  attempt,  if  once  more  we  find  ourselves 
looking  up  to  where  we  now  are  from  the  bottom  of  these  rocks  !J> 

I  was  not  yet  so  perfectly  beside  myself  as  to  be  heedless  of 
these  representations,  and  therefore  toiled  on,  ineffectually  en 
deavoring  to  appease  the  thirst  which  consumed  me,  by  thinking 
that  in  a  short  time  I  should  be  able  to  gratify  it  to  my  heart's 
content. 

At  last  we  gained  the  top  of  the  second  elevation,  the  loftiest 
of  those  I  have  described  as  extending  in  parallel  lines  between 
us  and  the  valley  we  desired  to  reach.  It  commanded  a  view  of 
the  whole  intervening  distance  ;  and,  discouraged  as  I  was  by 
other  circumstances,  this  prospect  plunged  me  into  the  very 
depths  of  despair.  Nothing  but  dark  and  fearful  chasms,  sepa 
rated  by  sharp  crested  and  perpendicular  ridges  as  far  as  the  eye 


66  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.         [CHAP.  vra. 

could  reach.  Could  we  have  stepped  from  summit  to  summit  of 
these  steep  but  narrow  elevations  we  could  easily  have  accom 
plished  the  distance ;  but  we  must  penetrate  to  the  bottom  of 
every  yawning  gulf,  and  scale  in  succession  every  one  of  the 
eminences  before  us.  Even  Toby,  although  not  suffering  as  I 
did,  was  not  proof  against  the  disheartening  influences  of  the 
sight. 

But  we  did  not  long  stand  to  contemplate  it,  impatient  as  1 
was  to  reach  the  waters  of  the  torrent  which  flowed  beneath  us. 
With  an  insensibility  to  danger  which  I  cannot  call  to  mind  with 
out  shuddering,  we  threw  ourselves  down  the  depths  of  the  ravine, 
startling  its  savage  solitudes  with  the  echoes  produced  by  the 
falling  fragments  of  rock  we  every  moment  dislodged  from  their 
places,  careless  of  the  insecurity  of  our  footing,  and  reckless 
whether  the  slight  roots  and  twigs  we  clutched  at  sustained  us  for 
the  while,  or  treacherously  yielded  to  our  grasp.  For  my  own 
part,  I  scarcely  knew  whether  I  was  helplessly  falling  from  the 
heights  above,  or  whether  the  fearful  rapidity  with  which  1 
descended  was  an  act  of  my  own  volition. 

In  a  few  minutes  we  reached  the  foot  of  the  gorge,  and  kneel 
ing  upon  a  small  ledge  of  dripping  rocks,  I  bent  over  to  the  stream. 
What  a  delicious  sensation  was  I  now  to  experience  !  I  paused 
for  a  second  to  concentrate  all  my  capabilities  of  enjoyment,  and 
then  immerged  my  lips  in  the  clear  element  before  me.  Had  the 
apples  of  Sodom  turned  to  ashes  in  my  mouth,  I  could  not  have 
felt  a  more  startling  revulsion.  A  single  drop  of  the  cold  fluid 
seemed  to  freeze  every  drop  of  blood  in  my  body  j  the  fever  that 
had  been  burning  in  my  veins  gave  place  on  the  instant  to  death 
like  chills,  which  shook  me  one  after  another  like  so  many  shocks 
of  electricity,  while  the  perspiration  produced  by  my  late  violent 
exertions  congealed  in  icy  beads  upon  my  forehead.  My  thirst 
was  gone,  and  I  fairly  loathed  the  water.  Starting  to  my  feet, 
the  sight  of  those  dank  rocks,  oozing  forth  moisture  at  every 


CHAP,  vm.]  MORE  DIFFICULTIES.  67 

crevice,  and  the  dark  stream  shooting  along  its  dismal  channel, 
sent  fresh  chills  through  my  shivering  frame,  and  I  felt  as  uncon 
trollable  a  desire  to  climb  up  towards  the  genial  sunlight  as  1  be 
fore  had  to  descend  the  ravine. 

After  two  hours'  perilous  exertions  we  stood  upon  the  summit 
of  another  ridge,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  I  could  bring  myself 
to  believe  that  we  had  ever  penetrated  the  black  and  yawning 
chasm  which  then  gaped  at  our  feet.  Again  we  gazed  upon 
the  prospect  which  the  height  commanded,  but  it  was  just  as 
depressing  as  the  one  which  had  before  met  our  eyes.  I  now  felt 
that  in  our  present  situation  it  was  in  vain  for  us  to  think  of  ever 
overcoming  the  obstacles  in  our  way,  and  I  gave  up  all  thoughts 
of  reaching  the  vale  which  lay  beyond  this  series  of  impediments ; 
while  at  the  same  time  I  could  not  devise  any  scheme  to  extricate 
ourselves  from  the  difficulties  in  which  we  were  involved. 

The  remotest  idea  of  returning  to  Nukuheva,  unless  assured  of 
our  vessel's  departure,  never  once  entered  my  mind,  and  indeed 
it  was  questionable  whether  we  could  have  succeeded  in  reaching 
it,  divided  as  we  were  from  the  bay  by  a  distance  we  could  not 
compute,  and  perplexed  too  in  our  remembrance  of  localities  by 
our  recent  wanderings.  Besides,  it  was  unendurable  the  thought 
of  retracing  our  steps  and  rendering  all  our  painful  exertions  of 
no  avail. 

There  is  scarcely  anything  when  a  man  is  in  difficulties  that 
he  is  more  disposed  to  look  upon  with  abhorrence  than  a  right 
about  retrograde  movement — a  systematic  going  over  of  the 
already  trodden  ground  :  and  especially  if  he  has  a  love  of  adven 
ture,  such  a  course  appears  indescribably  repulsive,  so  long  as 
there  remains  the  least  hope  to  be  derived  from  braving  untried 
difficulties. 

It  was  this  feeling  that  prompted  us  to  descend  the  opposite  side 
of  the  elevation  we  had  just  scaled,  although  with  what  definite 
object  in  view  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  either  of  us  to  tell. 


68  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  vin. 

Without  exchanging  a  syllable  upon  the  subject,  Toby  and 
myself  simultaneously  renounced  the  design  which  had  lured  us 
thus  far — perceiving  in  each  other's  countenances  that  desponding 
expression  which  speaks  more  eloquently  than  words. 

Together  w«  stood  towards  the  close  of  this  weary  day  in  the 
cavity  of  the  third  gorge  we  had  entered,  wholly  incapacitated  for 
any  further  exertion,  until  restored  to  some  degree  of  strength  by 
food  and  repose. 

We  seated  ourselves  upon  the  least  uncomfortable  spot  we 
could  select,  and  Toby  produced  from  the  bosom  of  his  frock  the 
sacred  package.  In  silence  we  partook  of  the  small  morsel  of 
refreshment  that  had  been  left  from  the  morning's  repast,  and  with 
out  once  proposing  to  violate  the  sanctity  of  our  engagement  with 
respect  to  the  remainder,  we  rose  to  our  feet,  and  proceeded  to 
construct  some  sort  of  shelter  under  which  we  might  obtain  the 
sleep  we  so  greatly  needed. 

Fortunately  the  spot  was  better  adapted  to  our  purpose  than 
the  one  in  which  we  had  passed  the  last  wretched  night.  We 
cleared  away  the  tall  reeds  from  a  small  but  almost  level  bit  of 
ground,  and  twisted  them  into  a  low  basket-like  hut,  which  we 
covered  with  a  profusion  of  long  thick  leaves,  gathered  from  a 
tree  near  at  hand.  We  disposed  them  thickly  all  around,  reserv 
ing  only  a  slight  opening  that  barely  permitted  us  to  crawl  under 
the  shelter  we  had  thus  obtained. 

These  deep  recesses,  though  protected  from  the  winds  that 
assail  the  summits  of  their  lofty  sides,  are  damp  and  chill  to  a 
degree  that  one  would  hardly  anticipate  in  such  a  climate  ;  and 
being  unprovided  with  anything  but  our  woollen  frocks  and  thin 
duck  trowsers  to  resist  the  cold  of  the  place,  we  were  the  more 
solicitous  to  render  our  habitation  for  the  night  as  comfortable 
as  we  could.  Accordingly,  in  addition  to  what  we  had  already 
done,  we  plucked  down  all  the  leaves  within  our  reach  and  threw 


CHAP,  vni.]  SECOND  MORNING.  69 

them  in  a  heap  over  our  little  hut,  into  which  we  now  crept, 
raking  after  us  a  reserved  supply  to  form  our  couch. 

That  night  nothing  but  the  pain  I  suffered  prevented  me  from 
sleeping  most  refreshingly.  As  it  was,  I  caught  two  or  three 
naps,  while  Toby  slept  away  at  my  side  as  soundly  as  though  he 
had  been  sandwiched  between  two  Holland  sheets.  Luckily  it 
did  not  rain,  and  we  were  preserved  from  the  misery  which  a 
heavy  shower  would  have  occasioned  us. 

In  the  morning  I  was  awakened  by  the  sonorous  voice  of  my 
companion  ringing  in  my  ears  and  bidding  me  rise.  I  crawled 
out  from  our  heap  of  leaves,  and  was  astonished  at  the  change 
which  a  good  night's  rest  had  wrought  in  his  appearance.  He 
was  as  blithe  and  joyous  as  a  young  bird,  and  was  staying  the 
keenness  of  his  morning's  appetite  <by  chewing  the  soft  bark  of  a 
delicate  branch  he  held  in  his  hand,  and  he  recommended  the 
like  to  me  as  an  admirable  antidote  against  the  gnawings  of 
hunger. 

For  my  own  part,  though  feeling  materially  better  than  I  had 
done  the  preceding  evening,  I  could  not  look  at  the  limb  that  had 
pained  me  so  violently  at  intervals  during  the  last  twenty-four 
hours,  without  experiencing  a  sense  of  alarm  that  I  strove  in  vain 
to  shake  off.  Unwilling  to  disturb  the  flow  of  my  comrade's 
spirits,  I  managed  to  stifle  the  complaints  to  which  I  might  other 
wise  have  given  vent,  and  calling  upon  him  good-humoredly  to 
speed  our  banquet,  I  prepared  myself  for  it  by  washing  in  the 
stream.  This  operation  concluded,  we  swallowed,  or  rather  ab 
sorbed,  by  a  peculiar  kind  of  slow  sucking  process,  our  respective 
morsels  of  nourishment,  and  then  entered  into  a  discussion  as  to 
the  steps  it  was  necessary  for  us  to  pursue. 

"  What's  to  be  done  now  ?"  inquired  I,  rather  dolefully. 

"  Descend  into  that  same  valley  we  descried  yesterday," 
rejoined  Toby,  with  a  rapidity  and  loudness  of  utterance  that 
almost  led  me  to  suspect  he  had  been  slyly  devouring  the  broad- 


70  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.        [CHAP.  vm. 

side  of  an  ox  in  some  of  the  adjoining  thickets.  "  What  else," 
he  continued,  "  remains  for  us  to  do  but  that,  to  be  sure  ?  Why, 
we  shall  both  starve  to  a  certainty  if  we  remain  here  ;  and  as  to 
your  fears  of  those  Typees — depend  upon  it,  it  is  all  nonsense. 
It  is  impossible  that  the  inhabitants  of  such  a  lovely  place  as 
we  saw  can  be  anything  else  but  good  fellows  ;  and  if  you  choose 
rather  to  perish  with  hunger  in  one  of  these  soppy  caverns,  I  for 
one  prefer  to  chance  a  bold  descent  into  the  valley,  and  risk  the 
consequences." 

"  And  who  is  to  pilot  us  thither,"  I  asked,  "  even  if  we  should 
decide  upon  the  measure  you  propose  ?  Are  we  to  go  again  up 
and  down  those  precipices  that  we  crossed  yesterday,  until  we 
reach  the  place  we  started  from,  and  then  take  a  flying  leap  from 
the  cliffs  to  the  valley  ?" 

"  'Faith,  I  didn't  think  of  that,"  said  Toby  ;  "  sure  enough, 
both  sides  of  the  valley  appeared  to  be  hemmed  in  by  precipices, 
didn't  they  ?" 

"  Yes,"  answered  I,  "  as  steep  as  the  sides  of  a  line-of-battle 
ship,  and  about  a  hundred  times  as  high."  My  companion  sank 
his  head  upon  his  breast,  and  remained  for  a  while  in  deep 
thought.  Suddenly  he  sprang  to  his  feet,  while  his  eyes  lighted 
up  with  that  gleam  of  intelligence  that  marks  the  presence  of  some 
bright  idea. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  he  exclaimed  ;  "  the  streams  all  run  in  the  same 
direction,  and  must  necessarily  flow  into  the  valley  before  they 
reach  the  sea  ;  all  we  have  to  do  is  just  to  follow  this  stream,  and 
sooner  or  later  it  will  lead  us  into  the  vale." 

"  You  are  right,  Toby,"  I  exclaimed,  "  you  are  right ;  it  must 
conduct  us  thither,  and  quickly  too ;  for,  see  with  what  a  steep 
inclination  the  water  descends." 

"  It  does,  indeed,"  burst  forth  my  companion,  overjoyed  at  my 
verification  of  his  theory,  "  it  does  indeed  ;  why,  it  is  as  plain  as 
a  pike-staff.  Let  us  proceed  at  once  ;  come,  throw  away  all  those 


CHAP,  viii.]       THEIR  DESCENT  TO  THE  VALLEY.  71 

stupid  ideas  about  the  Typees,  and  hurrah  for  the  lovely  valley 
of  the  Happars !" 

"  You  will  have  it  to  be  Happar,  I  see,  my  dear  fellow  ;  pray 
Heaven  you  may  not  find  yourself  deceived,"  observed  I,  with  a 
shake  of  my  head. 

"  Amen  to  alt  that,  and  much  more,"  shouted  Toby,  rushing 
forward  ;  "  but  Happar  it  is,  for  nothing  else  than  Happar  can  it 
be.  So  glorious  a  valley — such  forests  of  bread-fruit  trees — such 
groves  of  cocoa-nut — such  wildernesses  of  guava-bushes  !  Ah  ! 
shipmate  !  don't  linger  behind :  in  the  name  of  all  delightful 
fruits,  I  am  dying  to  be  at  them.  Come  on,  come  on ;  shove 
ahead,  there's  a  lively  lad ;  never  mind  the  rocks ;  kick  them 
out  of  the  way,  as  I  do  ;  and  to-morrow,  old  fellow,  take  my  word 
for  it,  we  shall  be  in  clover.  Come  on ;"  and  so  saying,  he 
dashed  along  the  ravine  like  a  madman,  forgetting  my  inability 
to  keep  up  with  him.  In  a  few  minutes,  however,  the  exuberance 
of  his  spirits  abated,  and,  pausing  for  a  while,  he  permitted  me  to 
overtake  him. 


72  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  ix. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Perilous  Passage  of  the  Ravine — Descent  into  the  Valley. 

THE  fearless  confidence  of  Toby  was  contagious,  and  I  began  to 
adopt  the  Happar  side  of  the  question.  I  could  not,  however, 
overcome  a  certain  feeling  of  trepidation  as  we  made  our  way 
along  these  gloomy  solitudes.  Our  progress,  at  first  compara 
tively  easy,  became  more  and  more  difficult.  The  bed  of  the 
watercourse  was  covered  with  fragments  of  broken  rocks,  which 
had  fallen  from  above,  offering  so  many  obstructions  to  the  course 
of  the  rapid  stream,  which  vexed  and  fretted  about  them, — 
forming  at  intervals  small  waterfalls,  pouring  over  into  deep  basins, 
or  splashing  wildly  upon  heaps  of  stones. 

From  the  narrowness  of  the  gorge,  and  the  steepness  of  its 
sides,  there  was  no  mode  of  advancing  but  by  wading  through 
the  water ;  stumbling  every  moment  over  the  impediments  which 
lay  hidden  under  its  surface,  or  tripping  against  the  huge  roots 
of  trees.  But,  the  most  annoying  hindrance  we  encountered  was 
from  a  multitude  of  crooked  boughs,  which,  shooting  out  almost 
horizontally  from  the  sides  of  the  chasm,  twisted  themselves 
together  in  fantastic  masses  almost  to  the  surface  of  the  stream, 
affording  us  no  passage  except  under  the  low  arches  which  they 
formed.  Under  these  we  were  obliged  to  crawl  on  our  hands 
and  feet,  sliding  along  the  oozy  surface  of  the  rocks,  or  slipping 
into  the  deep  pools,  and  with  scarce  light  enough  to  guide  us. 
Occasionally  we  would  strike  our  heads  against  some  projecting 
limb  of  a  tree ;  and  while  imprudently  engaged  in  rubbing  the 


CHAP,  ix.]  A  WATER-FALL.  73 

injured  part,  would  fall  sprawling  amongst  filthy  fragments, 
cutting  and  bruising  ourselves,  whilst  the  unpitying  waters  flowed 
over  our  prostrate  bodies.  Belzoni,  worming  himself  through 
the  subterranean  passages  of  the  Egyptian  catacombs,  could  not 
have  met  with  greater  impediments  than  those  we  here  encoun 
tered.  But  we  struggled  against  them  manfully,  well  knowing 
our  only  hope  lay  in  advancing. 

Towards  sunset  we  halted  at  a  spot  where  we  made  prepara 
tions  for  passing  the  night.  Here  we  constructed  a  hut,  in  much 
the  same  way  as  before,  and  crawling  into  it,  endeavoured  to 
forget  our  sufferings.  My  companion,  I  believe,  slept  pretty 
soundly  ;  but  at  daybreak,  when  we  rolled  out  of  our  dwelling, 
I  felt  nearly  disqualified  for  any  further  efforts.  Toby  pre 
scribed  as  a  remedy  for  my  illness  the  contents  of  one  of  our 
little  silk  packages,  to  be  taken  at  once  in  a  single  dose.  To 
this  species  of  medical  treatment,  however,  I  would  by  no  means 
accede,  much  as  he  insisted  upon  it ;  and  so  we  partook  of  our 
usual  morsel,  and  silently  resumed  our  journey.  It  was  now  the 
fourth  day  since  we  left  Nukuheva,  and  the  gnawings  of  hunger 
became  painfully  acute.  We  were  fain  to  pacify  them  by  chew 
ing  the  tender  bark  of  roots  and  twigs,  which,  if  they  did  not 
afford  us  nourishment,  were  at  least  sweet  and  pleasant  to  the  taste. 

Our  progress  along  the  steep  watercourse  was  necessarily  slow, 
and  by  noon  we  had  not  advanced  more  than  a  mile.  It  was 
somewhere  near  this  part  of  the  day  that  the  noise  of  falling 
waters,  which  we  had  faintly  caught  in  the  early  morning,  be 
came  more  distinct ;  and  it  was  not  long  before  we  were  arrested 
by  a  rocky  precipice  of  nearly  a  hundred  feet  in  depth,  that 
extended  all  across  the  channel,  and  over  which  the  wild  stream 
poured  in  an  unbroken  leap.  On  either  hand  the  walls  of  the 
ravine  presented  their  overhanging  sides  both  above  and  below 
the  fall,  affording  no  means  whatever  of  avoiding  the  cataract  by 
taking  a  circuit  round  it. 
5 


74  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  ix. 

"  What 's  to  be  done  now,  Toby  ?"  said  I. 

"  Why,"  rejoined  he,  "  as  we  cannot  retreat,  I  suppose  we  must 
keep  shoving  along." 

"  Very  true,  my  dear  Toby  ;  but  how  do  you  purpose  accom 
plishing  that  desirable  object  ?" 

"  By  jumping  from  the  top  of  the  fall,  if  there  be  no  other 
way,"  unhesitatingly  replied  my  companion :  "  it  will  be  much 
the  quickest  way  of  descent ;  but  as  you  are  not  quite  as  active 
as  I  am,  we  will  try  some  other  way." 

And,  so  saying,  he  crept  cautiously  along  and  peered  over 
into  the  abyss,  while  I  remained  wondering  by  what  possible 
means  we  could  overcome  this  apparently  insuperable  obstruction. 
As  soon  as  my  companion  had  completed  his  survey,  I  eagerly 
inquired  the  result. 

"  The  result  of  my  observations  you  wish  to  know,  do  you  ?" 
began  Toby,  deliberately,  with  one  of  his  odd  looks  :  "  well,  my 
lad,  the  result  of  my  observations  is  very  quickly  imparted.  It 
is  at  present  uncertain  which  of  our  two  necks  will  have  the 
honor  to  be  broken  first ;  but  about  a  hundred  to  one  would  be  a 
fair  bet  in  favor  of  the  man  who  takes  the  first  jump." 

"  Then  it  is  an  impossible  thing,  is  it  ?"  inquired  I  gloomily. 

"  No,  shipmate  ;  on  the  contrary,  it  is  the  easiest  thing  in  life  : 
the  only  awkward  point  is  the  sort  of  usage  which  our  unhappy 
limbs  may  receive  when  we  arrive  at  the  bottom,  and  what  sort 
of  travelling  trim  we  shall  be  in  afterwards.  But  follow  me  now, 
and  I  will  show  you  the  only  chance  we  have." 

With  this  he  conducted  me  to  the  verge  of  the  cataract,  and 
pointed  along  the  side  of  the  ravine  to  a  number  of  curious 
looking  roots,  some  three  or  four  inches  in  thickness,  and  several 
feet  long,  which,  after  twisting  among  the  fissures  of  the  rock, 
shot  perpendicularly  from  it  and  ran  tapering  to  a  point  in  the 
air,  hanging  over  the  gulf  like  so  many  dark  icicles.  They 
covered  nearly  the  entire  surface  of  one  side  of  the  gorge,  the 


CHAP,  ix.]  DANGEROUS  RAVINE.  75 

lowest  of  them  reaching  even  to  the  water.  Many  were  moss- 
grown  and  decayed,  with  their  extremities  snapped  short  off,  and 
those  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  fall  were  slippery  with 
moisture. 

Toby's  scheme,  and  it  was  a  desperate  one,  was  to  entrust  our 
selves  to  these  treacherous-looking  roots,  and  by  slipping  down 
from  one  to  another  to  gain  the  bottom. 

"  Are  you  ready  to  venture  it  ?"  asked  Toby,  looking  at  me 
earnestly,  but  without  saying  a  word  as  to  the  practicability  of 
the  plan. 

"  I  am,"  was  my  reply ;  for  I  saw  it  was  our  only  resource  if 
we  wished  to  advance,  and  as  for  retreating,  all  thoughts  of  that 
sort  had  been  long  abandoned. 

After  I  had  signified  my  assent,  Toby,  without  uttering  a 
single  word,  crawled  along  the  dripping  ledge  until  he  gained  a 
point  from  whence  he  could  just  reach  one  of  the  largest  of  the 
pendant  roots  ;  he  shook  it — it  quivered  in  his  grasp,  and  when 
he  let  it  go  it  twanged  in  the  air  like  a  strong  wire  sharply  struck. 
Satisfied  by  his  scrutiny,  my  light-limbed  companion  swung  him 
self  nimbly  upon  it,  and  twisting  his  legs  round  it  in  sailor  fashion, 
slipped  down  eight  or  ten  feet,  where  his  weight  gave  it  a  motion 
not  unlike  that  of  a  pendulum.  He  could  not  venture  to  descend 
any  further ;  so  holding  on  with  one  hand,  he  with  the  other 
shook  one  by  one  all  the  slender  roots  around  him,  and  at  last, 
finding  one  which  he  thought  trustworthy,  shifted  himself  to  it 
and  continued  his  downward  progress. 

So  far  so  well ;  but  I. could  not  avoid  comparing  my  heavier 
frame  and  disabled  condition  with  his  light  figure  and  remarkable 
activity ;  but  there  was  no  help  for  it,  and  in  less  than  a  minute's 
time  I  was  swinging  directly  over  his  head.  As  soon  as  his  up 
turned  eyes  caught  a  glimpse  of  me,  he  exclaimed  in  his  usual 
dry  tone,  for  the  danger  did  not  seem  to  daunt  him  in  the  least, 
"  Mate,  do  me  the  kindness  not  to  fall  until  I  get  out  of  your 


76  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  ix. 

way ;"  and  then  swinging  himself  more  on  one  side,  he  continued 
his  descent.  In  the  mean  time  I  cautiously  transferred  myself 
from  the  limb  down  which  I  had  been  slipping  to  a  couple  of 
others  that  were  near  it,  deeming  two  strings  to  my  bow  better 
than  one,  and  taking  care  to  test  their  strength  before  I  trusted 
my  weight  to  them. 

On  arriving  towards  the  end  of  the  second  stage  in  this  vertical 
journey,  and  shaking  the  long  roots  which  were  round  me,  to 
my  consternation  they  snapped  off  one  after  another  like  so  many 
pipe  stems,  and  fell  in  fragments  against  the  side  of  the  gulf, 
splashing  at  last  into  the  waters  beneath. 

As  one  after  another  the  treacherous  roots  yielded  to  my  grasp, 
and  fell  into  the  torrent,  my  heart  sunk  within  me.  The 
branches  on  which  I  was  suspended  over  the  yawning  chasm 
swang  to  and  fro  in  the  air,  and  I  expected  them  every  moment  to 
snap  in  twain.  Appalled  at  the  dreadful  fate  that  menaced  me, 
I  clutched  frantically  at  the  only  large  root  which  remained  near 
me,  but  in  vain  ;  I  could  not  reach  it,  though  my  fingers  were 
within  a  few  inches  of  it.  Again  and  again  I  tried  to  reach  it, 
until  at  length,  maddened  with  the  thought  of  my  situation,  I 
swayed  myself  violently  by  striking  my  foot  against  the  side 
of  the  rock,  and  at  the  instant  that  I  approached  the  large  root 
caught  desperately  at  it,  and  transferred  myself  to  it.  It  vibrated 
violently  under  the  sudden  weight,  but  fortunately  did  not  give  way. 

My  brain  grew  dizzy  with  the  idea  of  the  frightful  risk  I  had 
just  run,  and  I  involuntarily  closed  my  eyes  to  shut  out  the  view 
of  the  depth  beneath  me.  For  the  instant  I  was  safe,  and  I  uttered 
a  devout  ejaculation  of  thanksgiving  for  my  escape. 

"  Pretty  well  done,"  shouted  Toby  underneath  me  ;  "  you 
are  nimbler  than  I  thought  you  to  be — hopping  about  up 
there  from  root  to  root  like  any  young  squirrel.  As  soon  as 
you  have  diverted  yourself  sufficiently,  I  would  advise  you  to 
proceed." 


CHAP,  ix.]  ANOTHER  DESCENT.  77 

"  Aye,  aye,  Toby,  all  in  good  time :  two  or  three  more  such 
famous  roots  as  this,  and  I  shall  be  with  you." 

The  residue  of  my  downward  progress  was  comparatively  easy ; 
the  roots  were  in  greater  abundance,  and  in  one  or  two  places 
jutting  out  points  of  rock  assisted  me  greatly.  In  a  few  moments 
I  was  standing  by  the  side  of  my  companion. 

Substituting  a  stout  stick  for  the  one  I  had  thrown  aside 
at  the  top  of  the  precipice,  we  now  continued  our  course  along 
the  bed  of  the  ravine.  Soon  we  were  saluted  by  a  sound 
in  advance,  that  grew  by  degrees  louder  and  louder,  as  the 
noise  of  the  cataract  we  were  leaving  behind  gradually  died  on 
our  ears. 

"  Another  precipice  for  us,  Toby." 

"  Very  good  ;  we  can  descend  them,  you  know — come  on." 

Nothing  indeed  appeared  to  depress  or  intimidate  this  intrepid 
fellow.  Typees  or  Niagaras,  he  was  as  ready  to  engage  one  as 
the  other,  and  I  could  not  avoid  a  thousand  times  congratulating 
myself  upon  having  such  a  companion  in  an  enterprise  like  the 
present. 

After  an  hour's  painful  progress,  we  reached  the  verge  of  an 
other  fall,  still  loftier  than  the  preceding,  and  flanked  both  above 
and  below  with  the  same  steep  masses  of  rock,  presenting,  how 
ever,  here  and  there  narrow  irregular  ledges,  supporting  a  shallow 
soil,  on  which  grew  a  variety  of  bushes  and  trees,  whose  bright 
verdure  contrasted  beautifully  with  the  foamy  waters  that  flowed 
between  them. 

Toby,  who  invariably  acted  as  pioneer,  now  proceeded  to  re 
connoitre.  On  his  return,  he  reported  that  the  shelves  of  rock 
on  our  right  would  enable  us  to  gain  with  little  risk  the  bottom  of 
the  cataract.  Accordingly,  leaving  the  bed  of  the  stream  at  the 
very  point  where  it  thundered  down,  we  began  crawling  along  one 
of  these  sloping  ledges  until  it  carried  us  to  within  a  few  feet  of 
another  that  inclined  downward  at  a  still  sharper  angle,  and  upon 


78  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  ix. 

which,  by  assisting  each  other,  we  managed  to  alight  in  safety. 
We  warily  crept  along  this,  steadying  ourselves  by  the  naked 
roots  of  the  shrubs  that  clung  to  every  fissure.  As  we  proceeded, 
the  narrow  path  became  still  more  contracted,  rendering  it  diffi 
cult  for  us  to  maintain  our  footing,  until  suddenly,  as  we  reached 
an  angle  of  the  wall  of  rock  where  we  had  expected  it  to  widen, 
we  perceived  to  our  consternation  that  a  yard  or  two  further  on 
it  abruptly  terminated  at  a  place  we  could  not  possibly  hope  to 


Toby  as  usual  led  the  van,  and  in  silence  I  waited  to  learn  from 
him  how  he  proposed  to  extricate  us  from  this  new  difficulty. 

"  Well,  my  boy,"  I  exclaimed,  after  the  expiration  of  several 
minutes,  during  which  time  my  companion  had  not  uttered  a 
word  :  "  What 's  to  be  done  now  ?" 

He  replied  in  a  tranquil  tone,  that  probably  the  best  thing  we 
could  do  in  the  present  strait  was  to  get  out  of  it  as  soon  as 
possible. 

"  Yes,  my  dear  Toby,  but  tell  me  how  we  are  to  get  out  of  it." 

"  Something  in  this  sort  of  style,"  he  replied  ;  and  at  the  same 
moment  to  my  horror  he  slipped  sideways  off  the  rock,  and,  as  I 
then  thought,  by  good  fortune  merely  alighted  among  the  spreading 
branches  of  a  species  of  palm  tree,  that  shooting  its  hardy  roots 
along  a  ledge  below,  curved  its  trunk  upwards  into  the  air,  and 
presented  a  thick  mass  of  foliage  about  twenty  feet  below  the  spot 
where  we  had  thus  suddenly  been  brought  to  a  stand-still.  I  in 
voluntarily  held  my  breath,  expecting  to  see  the  form  of  my 
companion,  after  being  sustained  for  a  moment  by  the  branches 
of  the  tree,  sink  through  their  frail  support,  and  fall  headlong  to 
the  bottom.  To  my  surprise  and  joy,  however,  he  recovered  him 
self,  and  disentangling  his  limbs  from  the  fractured  branches,  he 
peered  out  from  his  leafy  bed,  and  shouted  lustily,  "  Come  on,  my 
hearty,  there  is  no  other  alternative  !"  and  with  this  he  ducked 
beneath  the  foliage,  and  slipping  down  the  trunk,  stood  in  a  moment 


CHAP,  ix.]  DARING  LEAP.  79 

at  least  fifty  feet  beneath  me,  upon  the  broad  shelf  of  rock  from 
which  sprung  the  tree  he  had  descended. 

What  would  I  not  have  given  at  that  moment  to  have  been  by 
his  side  ?  The  feat  he  had  just  accomplished  seemed  little  less 
than  miraculous,  and  I  could  hardly  credit  the  evidence  of  my 
senses  when  I  saw  the  wide  distance  that  a  single  daring  act  had 
so  suddenly  placed  between  us. 

Toby's  animating  "  come  on  !"  again  sounded  in  my  ears,  and 
dreading  to  lose  all  confidence  in  myself  if  I  remained  meditating 
upon  the  step,  I  once  more  gazed  down  to  assure  myself  of  the 
relative  bearing  of  the  tree  and  my  own  position,  and  then  closing 
my  eyes  and  uttering  one  comprehensive  ejaculation  of  prayer,  I 
inclined  myself  over  towards  the  abyss,  and  after  one  breathless 
instant  fell  with  a  crash  into  the  tree,  the  branches  snapping  and 
crackling  with  my  weight,  as  I  sunk  lower  and  lower  among 
them,  until  I  was  stopped  by  coming  in  contact  with  a  sturdy 
limb. 

In  a  few  moments  I  was  standing  at  the  foot  of  the  tree,  mani 
pulating  myself  all  over  with  a  view  of  ascertaining  the  extent  of 
the  injuries  I  had  received.  To  my  surprise  the  only  effects  of  my 
feat  were  a  few  slight  contusions  too  trifling  to  care  about.  The 
rest  of  our  descent  was  easily  accomplished,  and  in  half  an  hour 
after  regaining  the  ravine  we  had  partaken  of  our  evening  morsel, 
built  our  hut  as  usual,  and  crawled  under  its  shelter. 

The  next  morning,  in  spite  of  our  debility  and  the  agony  of 
hunger  under  which  we  were  now  suffering,  though  neither  of  us 
confessed  to  the  fact,  we  struggled  along  our  dismal  and  still  diffi 
cult  and  dangerous  path,  cheered  by  the  hope  of  soon  catching  a 
glimpse  of  the  valley  before  us,  and  towards  evening  the  voice 
of  a  cataract  which  had  for  some  time  sounded  like  a  low  deep 
bass  to  the  music  of  the  smaller  waterfalls,  broke  upon  our  ears 
in  still  louder  tones,  and  assured  us  that  we  were  approaching  its 
vicinity. 


80  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  ix. 

That  evening  we  stood  on  the  brink  of  a  precipice,  over  which 
the  dark  stream  bounded  in  one  final  leap  of  full  300  feet.  The 
sheer  descent  terminated  in  the  region  we  so  long  had  sought.  On 
either  side  of  the  fall,  two  lofty  and  perpendicular  bluffs  buttressed 
the  sides  of  the  enormous  cliff,  and  projected  into  the  sea  of  verdure 
with  which  the  valley  waved,  and  a  range  of  similar  projecting 
eminences  stood  disposed  in  a  half  circle  about  the  head  of  the  vale. 
A  thick  canopy  of  trees  hung  over  the  very  verge  of  the  fall, 
leaving  an  arched  aperture  for  the  passage  of  the  waters,  which 
imparted  a  strange  picturesqueness  to  the  scene. 

The  valley  was  now  before  us  ;  but  instead  of  being  conducted 
into  its  smiling  bosom  by  the  gradual  descent  of  the  deep  water 
course  we  had  thus  far  pursued,  all  our  labors  now  appeared  to 
have  been  rendered  futile  by  its  abrupt  termination.  But,  bitterly 
disappointed,  we  did  not  entirely  despair. 

As  it  was  now  near  sunset  we  determined  to  pass  the  night  where 
we  were,  and  on  the  morrow,  refreshed  by  sleep,  and  by  eating  at 
one  meal  all  our  stock  of  food,  to  accomplish  a  descent  into  the 
valley,  or  perish  in  the  attempt. 

We  laid  ourselves  down  that  night  on  a  spot,  the  recollection  of 
which  still  makes  me  shudder.  A  small  table  of  rock  which 
projected  over  the  precipice  on  one  side  of  the  stream,  and  was 
drenched  by  the  spray  of  the  fall,  sustained  a  huge  trunk  of  a 
tree  which  must  have  been  deposited  there  by  some  heavy  freshet. 
It  lay  obliquely,  with  one  end  resting  on  the  rock  and  the  other 
supported  by  the  side  of  the  ravine.  Against  it  we  placed  in  a 
sloping  direction  a  number  of  the  half-decayed  boughs  that  were 
strewn  about,  and  covering  the  whole  with  twigs  and  leaves, 
awaited  the  morning's  light  beneath  such  shelter  as  it  afforded. 

During  the  whole  of  this  night  the  continual  roaring  of  the 
cataract — the  dismal  moaning  of  the  gale  through  the  trees — the 
pattering  of  the  rain,  and  the  profound  darkness,  affected  my 
spirits  to  a  degree  which  nothing  had  ever  before  produced.  Wet, 


CHAP,  re.]       THEY  REACH  THE  VALE.  81 

half-famished,  and  chilled  to  the  heart  with  the  dampness  of  the 
place,  and  nearly  wild  with  the  pain  I  endured,  I  fairly  cowered 
down  to  the  earth  under  this  multiplication  of  hardships,  and 
abandoned  myself  to  frightful  anticipations  of  evil ;  and  my  com 
panion,  whose  spirit  at  last  was  a  good  deal  broken,  scarcely  uttered 
a  word  during  the  whole  night. 

At  length  the  day  dawned  upon  us,  and  rising  from  our  mi 
serable  pallet,  we  stretched  our  stiffened  joints,  and  after  eating 
all  that  remained  of  our  bread,  prepared  for  the  last  stage  of  our 
journey. 

I  will  not  recount  every  hair-breadth  escape,  and  every  fearful 
difficulty  that  occurred  before  we  succeeded  in  reaching  the 
bosom  of  the  valley.  As  I  have  already  described  similar  scenes, 
it  will  be  sufficient  to  say  that  at  length,  after  great  toil  and  great 
dangers,  we  both  stood  with  no  limbs  broken  at  the  head  of  that 
magnificent  vale  which  five  days  before  had  so  suddenly  burst 
upon  my  sight,  and  almost  beneath  the  shadow  of  those  very 
cliffs  from  whose  summits  we  had  gazed  upon  the  prospect. 
5* 


82  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  x. 


CHAPTER  X. 

The  Head  of  the  Valley — Cautious  Advance — A  Path — Fruit — Discovery 
of  two  of  the  Natives — Their  Singular  Conduct — Approach  towards  the 
Inhabited  Parts  of  the  Vale — Sensation  Produced  by  our  Appearance — 
Reception  at  the  House  of  one  of  the  Natives. 

How  to  obtain  the  fruit  which  we  felt  convinced  must  grow  near 
at  hand  was  our  first  thought. 

Typee  or  Happar  ?  A  frightful  death  at  the  hands  of  the 
fiercest  of  cannibals,  or  a  kindly  reception  from  a  gentler  race  of 
savages  ?  Which  ?  But  it  was  too  late  now  to  discuss  a  ques 
tion  which  would  so  soon  be  answered. 

The  part  of  the  valley  in  which  we  found  ourselves  appeared  to 
be  altogether  uninhabited.  An  almost  impenetrable  thicket  ex 
tended  from  side  to  side,  without  presenting  a  single  plant  afford 
ing  the  nourishment  we  had  confidently  calculated  upon  ;  and  with 
this  object,  we  followed  the  course  of  the  stream,  casting  quick 
glances  as  we  proceeded  into  the  thick  jungles  on  either  hand. 

My  companion — to  whose  solicitations  I  had  yielded  in  descend 
ing  into  the  valley — now  that  the  step  was  taken,  began  to  mani 
fest  a  degree  of  caution  I  had  little  expected  from  him.  He  pro 
posed  that  in  the  event  of  our  finding  an  adequate  supply  of  fruit, 
we  should  remain  in  this  unfrequented  portion  of  the  country — 
where  we  should  run  little  chance  of  being  surprised  by  its  occu 
pants,  whoever  they  might  be — until  sufficiently  recruited  to  re 
sume  our  journey  ;  when  laying  in  a  store  of  food  equal  to  our 
wants,  we  might  easily  regain  the  bay  of  Nukuheva,  after  the 
lapse  of  a  sufficient  interval  to  ensure  the  departure  of  our  vessel. 


CHAP,  x.]  .         FINDING  FRUIT.  83 

I  objected  strongly  to  this  proposition,  plausible  as  it  was,  as  the 
difficulties  of  the  route  would  be  almost  insurmountable,  unac 
quainted  as  we  were  with  the  general  bearings  of  the  country, 
and  I  reminded  my  companion  of  the  hardships  which  we  had 
already  encountered  in  our  uncertain  wanderings ;  in  a  word,  I 
said  that  since  we  had  deemed  it  advisable  to  enter  the  valley,  we 
ought  manfully  to  face  the  consequences,  whatever  they  might 
be  ;  the  more  especially  as.  I  was  convinced  there  was  no  alter 
native  left  us  but  to  fall  in  with  the  natives  at  once,  and  boldly 
risk  the  reception  they  might  give  us :  and  that  as  to  myself,  I 
felt  the  necessity  of  rest  and  shelter,  and  that  until  I  had  obtained 
them,  I  should  be  wholly  unable  to  encounter  such  sufferings  as 
we  had  lately  passed  through.  To  the  justice  of  these  observations 
Toby  somewhat  reluctantly  assented. 

We  were  surprised  that,  after  moving  as  far  as  we  had  along 
the  valley,  we  should  still  meet  with  the  same  impervious  thick 
ets  ;  and  thinking  that  although  the  borders  of  the  stream  might  be 
lined  for  some  distance  with  them,  yet  beyond  there  might  be  more 
open  ground,  I  requested  Toby  to  keep  a  bright  look-out  upon  one 
side,  while  I  did  the  same  on  the  other,  in  order  to  discover  some 
opening  in  the  bushes,  and  especially  to  watch  for  the  slightest 
appearance  of  a  path  or  anything  else  that  might  indicate  the 
vicinity  of  the  islanders. 

What  furtive  and  anxious  glances  we  cast  into  those  dim-look 
ing  shades  !  With  what  apprehensions  we  proceeded,  ignorant  at 
what  moment  we  might  be  greeted  by  the  javelin  of  some  am 
bushed  savage  !  At  last  my  companion  paused,  and  directed  my 
attention  to  a  narrow  opening  in  the  foliage.  We  struck  into  it, 
and  it  soon  brought  us  by  an  indistinctly  traced  path  to  a  compa 
ratively  clear  space,  at  the  further  end  of  which  we  descried  a 
number  of  the  trees,  the  native  name  of  which  is  "  annuee,"  and 
which  bear  a  most  delicious  fruit. 

What  a  race !     I  hobbling  over  the  ground  like  some  decrepid 


84  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  x. 

wretch,  and  Toby  leaping  forward  like  a  greyhound.  He  quickly 
cleared  one  of  the  trees  on  which  there  were  two  or  three  of  the 
fruit,  but  to  our  chagrin  they  proved  to  be  much  decayed ;  the 
rinds  partly  opened  by  the  birds,  and  their  hearts  half  devoured. 
However,  we  quickly  despatched  them,  and  no  ambrosia  could 
have  been  more  delicious. 

We  looked  about  us  uncertain  whither  to  direct  our  steps,  since 
the  path  we  had  so  far  followed  appeared  to  be  lost  in  the  open 
space  around  us.  At  last  we  resolved  to  enter  a  grove  near  at 
hand,  and  had  advanced  a  few  rods,  when,  just  upon  its  skirts,  I 
picked  up  a  slender  bread-fruit  shoot  perfectly  green,  and  with  the 
tender  bark  freshly  stript  from  it.  It  was  slippery  with  moisture, 
and  appeared  as  if  it  had  been  but  that  moment  thrown  aside.  I 
said  nothing,  but  merely  held  it  up  to  Toby,  who  started  at  this 
undeniable  evidence  of  the  vicinity  of  the  savages. 

The  plot  was  now  thickening. — A  short  distance  further  lay  a 
little  faggot  of  the  same  shoots  bound  together  with  a  strip  of  bark. 
Could  it  have  been  thrown  down  by  some  solitary  native,  who, 
alarmed  at  seeing  us,  had  hurried  forward  to  carry  the  tidings  of 
our  approach  to  his  countrymen  ? — Typee  or  Happar  ? — But  it 
was  too  late  to  recede,  so  we  moved  on  slowly,  my  companion  in 
advance  casting  eager  glances  under  the  trees  on  either  side,  until 
all  at  once  I  saw  him  recoil  as  if  stung  by  an  adder.  Sinking 
on  his  knee,  he  waved  me  off  with  one  hand,  while  with  the  other 
he  held  aside  some  intervening  leaves,  and  gazed  intently  at 
some  object. 

Disregarding  his  injunction,  I  quickly  approached  him  and 
caught  a  glimpse  of  two  figures  partly  hidden  by  the  dense  foliage  ; 
they  were  standing  close  together,  and  were  perfectly  motionless. 
They  must  have  previously  perceived  us,  and  withdrawn  into  the 
depths  of  the  wood  to  elude  our  observation. 

My  mind  was  at  once  made  up.  Dropping  my  staff,  and  tear 
ing  open  the  package  of  things  we  had  brought  from  the  ship,  I 


CHAP,  x.]  THEIR  MEETING  WITH  NATIVES.  85 

unrolled  the  cotton  cloth,  and  holding  it  in  one  hand  plucked  with 
the  other  a  twig  from  the  bushes  beside  me,  and  telling  Toby  to 
follow  my  example,  I  broke  through  the  covert  and  advanced, 
waving  the  branch  in  token  of  peace  towards  the  shrinking  forms 
before  me. 

They  were  a  boy  and  a  girl,  slender  and  graceful,  and  com 
pletely  naked,  with  the  exception  of  a  slight  girdle  of  bark,  from 
which  depended  at  opposite  points  two  of  the  russet  leaves  of  the 
bread-fruit  tree.  An  arm  of  the  boy,  half  screened  from  sight 
by  her  wild  tresses,  was  thrown  about  the  neck  of  the  girl,  while 
with  the  other  he  held  one  of  her  hands  in  his ;  and  thus  they 
stood  together,  their  heads  inclined  forward,  catching  the  faint 
noise  we  made  in  our  progress,  and  with  one  foot  in  advance,  as 
if  half  inclined  to  fly  from  our  presence. 

As  we  drew  near,  their  alarm  evidently  increased.  Apprehen 
sive  that  they  might  fly  from  us  altogether,  I  stopped  short  and 
motioned  them  to  advance  and  receive  the  gift  I  extended  towards 
them,  but  they  would  not ;  I  then  uttered  a  few  words  of  their 
language  with  which  I  was  acquainted,  scarcely  expecting  that 
they  would  understand  me,  but  to  show  that  we  had  not  dropped 
from  the  clouds  upon  them.  This  appeared  to  give  them  a  little 
confidence,  so  I  approached  nearer,  presenting  the  cloth  with  one 
hand,  and  holding  the  bough  with  the  other,  while  they  slowly 
retreated.  At  last  they  suffered  us  to  approach  so  near  to  them 
that  we  were  enabled  to  throw  the  cotton  cloth  across  their  shoul 
ders,  giving  them  to  understand  that  it  was  theirs,  and  by  a  variety 
of  gestures  endeavoring  to  make  them  understand  that  we  enter 
tained  the  highest  possible  regard  for  them. 

The  frightened  pair  now  stood  still,  whilst  we  endeavored  to 
make  them  comprehend  the  nature  of  our  wants.  In  doing  this 
Toby  went  through  with  a  complete  series  of  pantomimic  illus 
trations — opening  his  mouth  from  ear  to  ear,  and  thrusting  his 
fingers  down  his  throat,  gnashing  his  teeth  and  rolling  his  eyes 


86  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  x. 

about,  till  I  verily  believe  the  poor  creatures  took  us  for  a  couple 
of  white  cannibals  who  were  about  to  make  a  meal  of  them. 
When,  however,  they  understood  us,  they  showed  no  inclination 
to  relieve  our  wants.  At  this  juncture  it  began  to  rain  violently, 
and  we  motioned  them  to  lead  us  to  some  place  of  shelter.  Wit'h 
this  request  they  appeared  willing  to  comply,  but  nothing  could 
evince  more  strongly  the  apprehension  with  which  they  regarded 
us,  than  the  way  in  which,  whilst  walking  before  us,  they  kept 
their  eyes  constantly  turned  back  to  watch  every  movement  we 
made,  and  even  our  very  looks. 

"  Typee  or  Happar,  Toby  ?"  asked  I  as  we  walked  after  them. 

"  Of  course  Happar,"  he  replied,  with  a  show  of  confidence 
which  was  intended  to  disguise  his  doubts. 

"  We  shall  soon  know,"  I  exclaimed  ;  and  at  the  same  moment 
I  stepped  forward  towards  our  guides,  and  pronouncing  the  two 
names  interrogatively  and  pointing  to  the  lowest  part  of  the  val 
ley,  endeavored  to  come  to  the  point  at  once.  They  repeated  the 
words  after  me  again  and  again,  but  without  giving  any  peculiar 
emphasis  to  either,  so  that  I  was  completely  at  a  loss  to  under- 
stand  them  •  for  a  couple  of  wilier  young  things  than  we  after 
wards  found  them  to  have  been  on  this  particular  occasion  never 
probably  fell  in  any  traveller's  way. 

More  and  more  curious  to  ascertain  our  fate,  I  now  threw 
together  in  the  form  of  a  question  the  words  "  Happar  "  and 
"  Mortarkee,"  the  latter  being  equivalent  to  the  word  "  good." 
The  two  natives  interchanged  glances  of  peculiar  meaning  with 
one  another  at  this,  and  manifested  no  little  surprise  ;  but  on  the 
repetition  of  the  question,  after  some  consultation  together,  to  the 
great  joy  of  Toby,  they  answered  in  the  affirmative.  Toby  was 
now  in  ecstasies,  especially  as  the  young  savages  continued  to 
reiterate  their  answer  with  great  energy,  as  though  desirous  of 
impressing  us  with  the  idea  that  being  among  the  Happars,  we 
ought  to  consider  ourselves  perfectly  secure. 


CHAP,  x.]  INTERIOR  OF  THE  CHIEF'S  HUT.  87 

Although  I  had  some  lingering  doubts,  I  feigned  great  delight 
with  Toby  at  this  announcement,  while  my  companion  broke  out 
into  a  pantomimic  abhorrence  of  Typee,  and  immeasurable  love 
for  the  particular  valley  in  which  we  were  ;  our  guides  all  the 
while  gazing  uneasily  at  one  another  as  if  at  a  loss  to  account 
for  our  conduct. 

They  hurried  on,  and  we  followed  them  ;  until  suddenly  they 
set  up  a  strange  halloo,  which  was  answered  from  beyond  the 
grove  through  which  we  were  passing,  and  the  next  moment  we 
entered  upon  some  open  ground,  at  the  extremity  of  which  we 
descried  a  long,  low  hut,  and  in  front  of  it  were  several  young 
girls.  As  soon  as  they  perceived  us  they  fled  with  wild  screams 
into  the  adjoining  thickets,  like  so  many  startled  fawns.  A  few 
moments  after  the  whole  valley  resounded  with  savage  outcries, 
and  the  natives  came  running  towards  us  from  every  direction. 

Had  an  army  of  invaders  made  an  irruption  into  their  territory 
they  could  not  have  evinced  greater  excitement.  We  were  soon 
completely  encircled  by  a  dense  throng,  and  in  their  eager  desire 
to  behold  us  they  almost  arrested  our  progress  ;  an  equal  num 
ber  surrounding  our  youthful  guides,  who  with  amazing  volubi 
lity  appeared  to  be  detailing  the  circumstances  which  had  attend 
ed  their  meeting  with  us.  Every  item  of  intelligence  appeared 
to  redouble  the  astonishment  of  the  islanders,  and  they  gazed  at 
us  with  inquiring  looks. 

At  last  we  reached  a  large  and  handsome  building  of  bamboos, 
and  were,  by  signs  told  to  enter  it,  the  natives  opening  a  lane  for 
us  through  which  to  pass ;  on  entering  without  ceremony,  we 
threw  our  exhausted  frames  upon  the  mats  that  covered  the  floor. 
In  a  moment  the  slight  tenement  was  completely  full  of  people, 
whilst  those  who  were  unable  to  obtain  admittance  gazed  at  us 
through  its  open  cane- work. 

It  was  now  evening,  and  by  the  dim  light  we  could  just  dis 
cern  the  savage  countenances  around  us,  gleaming  with  wild 


88  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  x. 

curiosity  and  wonder ;  the  naked  forms  and  tattooed  limbs  of 
brawny  warriors,  with  here  and  there  the  slighter  figures  of 
young  girls,  all  engaged  in  a  perfect  storm  of  conversation,  of 
which  we  were  of  course  the  one  only  theme  ;  whilst  our  recent 
guides  were  fully  occupied  in  answering  the  innumerable  ques 
tions  which  every  one  put  to  them.  Nothing  can  exceed  the 
fierce  gesticulation  of  these  people  when  animated  in  conversa 
tion,  and  on  this  occasion  they  gave  loose  to  all  their  natural 
vivacity,  shouting  and  dancing  about  in  a  manner  that  well-nigh 
intimidated  us. 

Close  to  where  we  lay,  squatting  upon  their  haunches,,  were 
some  eight  or  ten  noble-looking  chiefs — for  such  they  subse 
quently  proved  to  be — who,  more  reserved  than  the  rest,  regarded 
us  with  a  fixed  and  stern  attention,  which  not  a  little  discomposed 
our  equanimity.  One  of  them  in  particular,  who  appeared  to  be 
the  highest  in  rank,  placed  himself  directly  facing  me ;  looking 
at  me  with  a  rigidity  of  aspect  under  which  I  absolutely  quailed. 
He  never  once  opened  his  lips,  but  maintained  his  severe  expres 
sion  of  countenance,  without  turning  his  face  aside  for  a  single 
moment.  Never  before  had  I  been  subjected  to  so  strange  and 
steady  a  glance  ;  it  revealed  nothing  of  the  mind  of  the  savage, 
but  it  appeared  to  be  reading  my  own. 

After  undergoing  this  scrutiny  till  I  grew  absolutely  nervous, 
with  a  view  of  diverting  it  if  possible,  and  conciliating  the  good 
opinion  of  the  warrior,  I  took  some  tobacco  from  the  bosom  of 
my  frock  and  offered  it  to  him.  He  quietly  rejected  the  proffered 
gift,  and,  without  speaking,  motioned  me  to  return  it  to  its  place. 

In  my  previous  intercourse  with  the  natives  of  Nukuheva  and 
Tior,  I  had  found  that  the  present  of  a  small  piece  of  tobacco 
would  have  rendered  any  of  them  devoted  to  my  service.  Was 
this  act  of  the  chief  a  token  of  his  enmity  ?  Typee  or  Happar  ? 
I  asked  within  myself.  I  started,  for  at  the  same  moment  this 
identical  question  was  asked  by  the  strange  being  before  me.  I 


CHAP,  x.]  CHIEF  MAKES  A  SPEECH.  89 

turned  to  Toby  ;  the  flickering  light  of  a  native  taper  showed  me 
his  countenance  pale  with  trepidation  at  this  fatal  question.  I 
paused  for  a  second,  and  I  know  not  by  what  impulse  it  was  that 
I  answered  "  Typee."  The  piece  of  dusky  statuary  nodded  in 
approval,  and  then  murmured  "  Mortarkee  !"  "  Mortarkee,"  said 
I,  without  further  hesitation — "  Typee  mortarkee." 

What  a  transition  !  The  dark  figures  around  us  leaped  to 
their  feet,  clapped  their  hands  in  transport,  and  shouted  again 
and  again  the  talismanic  syllables,  the  utterance  of  which  ap 
peared  to  have  settled  everything. 

When  this  commotion  had  a  little  subsided,  the  principal  chief 
squatted  once  more  before  me,  and  throwing  himself  into  a  sud 
den  rage,  poured  forth  a  string  of  philippics,  which  I  was  at  no 
loss  to  understand,  from  the  frequent  recurrence  of  the  word 
Happar,  as  being  directed  against  the  natives  of  the  adjoining 
valley.  In  all  these  denunciations  my  companion  and  I  acqui 
esced,  while  we  extolled  the  character  of  the  warlike  Typees. 
To  be  sure  our  panegyrics  were  somewhat  laconic,  consisting  in 
the  repetition  of  that  name,  united  with  the  potent  adjective 
"  mortarkee."  But  this  was  sufficient,  and  served  to  conciliate 
the  good  will  of  the  natives,  with  whom  our  congeniality  of  sen 
timent  on  this  point  did  more  towards  inspiring  a  friendly  feeling 
than  anything  else  that  could  have  happened. 

At  last  the  wrath  of  the  chief  evaporated,  and  in  a  few  moments 
he  was  as  placid  as  ever.  Laying  his  hand  upon  his  breast,  he 
gave  me  to  understand  that  his  name  was  "  Mehevi,"  and  that, 
in  return,  he  wished  me  to  communicate  my  appellation.  I 
hesitated  for  an  instant,  thinking  that  it  might  be  difficult  for  him 
to  pronounce  my  real  name,  and  then  with  the  most  praiseworthy 
intentions  intimated  that  I  was  known  as  "  Tom."  But  I  could 
not  have  made  a  worse  selection  ;  the  chief  could  not  master  it : 
"  Tommo,"  "  Tomma,"  "  Tommee,"  everything  but  plain 
"  Tom."  As  he  persisted  in  garnishing  the  word  with  an  addi- 


90  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  x. 

tional  syllable,  I  compromised  the  matter  with  him  at  the  word 
"  Tommo ;"  and  by  that  name  I  went  during  the  entire  period  of 
my  stay  in  the  valley.  The  same  proceeding  was  gone  through 
with  Toby,  whose  mellifluous  appellation  was  more  easily  caught. 

An  exchange  of  names  is  equivalent  to  a  ratification  of  good 
will  and  amity  among  these  simple  people  ;  and  as  we  were 
aware  of  this  fact,  we  were  delighted  that  it  had  taken  place  on 
the  present  occasion. 

Reclining  upon  our  mats,  we  now  held  a  kind  of  levee,  giving 
audience  to  successive  troops  of  the  natives,  who  introduced  them 
selves  to  us  by  pronouncing  their  respective  names,  and  retired 
in  high  good  humor  on  receiving  ours  in  return.  During  this 
ceremony  the  greatest  merriment  prevailed,  nearly  every  an 
nouncement  on  the  part  of  the  islanders  being  followed  by  a  fresh 
sally  of  gaiety,  which  induced  me  to  believe  that  some  of  them 
at  least  were  innocently  diverting  the  company  at  our  expense, 
by  bestowing  upon  themselves  a  string  of  absurd  titles,  of  the  hu 
mor  of  which  we  were  of  course  entirely  ignorant. 

All  this  occupied  about  an  hour,  when  the  throng  having  a  little 
diminished,  I  turned  to  Mehevi  and  gave  him  to  understand  that 
we  were  in  need  of  food  and  sleep.  Immediately  the  attentive 
chief  addressed  a  few  words  to  one  of  the  crowd,  who  disappeared, 
and  returned  in  a  few  moments  with  a  calabash  of  "  poee-poee," 
and  two  or  three  young  cocoa-nuts  stripped  of  their  husks,  and 
with  their  shells  partly  broken.  We  both  of  us  forthwith  placed 
one  of  these  natural  goblets  to  our  lips,  and  drained  it  in  a  mo 
ment  of  the  refreshing  draught  it  contained.  The  poee-poee  was 
then  placed  before  us,  and  even  famished  as  I  was,  I  paused  to  con 
sider  in  what  manner  to  convey  it  to  my  mouth. 

This  staple  article  of  food  among  the  Marquese  islanders  is 
manufactured  from  the  produce  of  the  bread-fruit  tree.  It  some 
what  resembles  in  its  plastic  nature  our  bookbinders'  paste,  is  of  a 
yellow  color,  and  somewhat  tart  to  the  taste. 


CHAP,  x.]      FRIENDLY  BEHAVIOR  OF  THE  NATIVES.  91 

Such  was  the  dish,  the  merits  of  which  I  was  now  eager  to 
discuss.  I  eyed  it  wistfully  for  a  moment,  and  then,  unable  any 
longer  to  stand  on  ceremony,  plunged  my  hand  into  the  yielding 
mass,  and  to  the  boisterous  mirth  of  the  natives  drew  it  forth  laden 
with  the  poee-poee,  which  adhered  in  lengthy  strings  to  every 
finger.  So  stubborn  was  its  consistency,  that  in  conveying  my 
heavily-freighted  han$  to  my  mouth,  the  connecting  links  almost 
raised  the  calabash  from  the  mats  on  which  it  had  been  placed. 
This  display  of  awkwardness — in  which,  by  the  bye,  Toby  kept 
me  company — convulsed  the  bystanders  with  uncontrollable 
laughter. 

As  soon  as  their  merriment  had  somewhat  subsided,  Mehevi, 
motioning  us  to  be  attentive,  dipped  the  fore-finger  of  his  right 
hand  in  the  dish,  and  giving  it  a  rapid  and  scientific  twirl,  drew 
it  out  coated  smoothly  with  the  preparation.  With  a  second  pe 
culiar  flourish  he  prevented  the  poee-poee  from  dropping  to  the 
ground  as  he  raised  it  to  his  mouth,  into  which  the  finger  was 
inserted,  and  drawn  forth  perfectly  free  from  any  adhesive  matter. 
This  performance  was  evidently  intended  for  our  instruction  ;  so 
I  again  essayed  the  feat  on  the  principles  inculcated,  but  with 
very  ill  success. 

A  starving  man,  however,  little  heeds  conventional  proprieties, 
especially  on  a  South-Sea  Island,  and  accordingly  Toby  and  I 
partook  of  the  dish  after  our  own  clumsy  fashion,  beplastering 
our  faces  all  over  with  the  glutinous  compound,  and  daubing  our 
hands  nearly  to  the  wrist.  This  kind  of  food  is  by  no  means 
disagreeable  to  the  palate  of  a  European,  though  at  first  the  mode 
of  eating  it  may  be.  For  my  own  part,  after  the  lapse  of  a  few 
days  I  became  accustomed  to  its  singular  flavor,  and  grew  remark 
ably  fond  of  it. 

So  much  for  the  first  course  ;  several  other  dishes  followed  it, 
some  of  which  were  positively  delicious.  We  concluded  our  ban 
quet  by  tossing  off  the  contents  of  two  more  young  cocoa-nuts, 


92  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP,  x 

after  which  we  regaled  ourselves  with  the  soothing  fumes  of  to 
bacco,  inhaled  from  a  quaintly  carved  pipe  which  passed  round 
the  circle. 

During  the  repast,  the  natives  eyed  us  with  intense  curiosity, 
observing  our  minutest  motions,  and  appearing  to  discover  abun 
dant  matter  for  comment  in  the  most  trifling  occurrence.  Their 
surprise  mounted  the  highest,  when  we  began  to  remove  our  un 
comfortable  garments,  which  were  saturated  with  rain.  They 
scanned  the  whiteness  of  our  limbs,  and  seemed  utterly  unable  to 
account  for  the  contrast  they  presented  to  the  swarthy  hue  of  our 
faces,  embrowned  from  a  six  months'  exposure  to  the  scorching 
sun  of  the  Line.  They  felt  our  skin,  much  in  the  same  way  that 
a  silk  mercer  would  handle  a  remarkably  fine  piece  of  satin  ;  and 
some  of  them  went  so  far  in  their  investigation  as  to  apply  the 
olfactory  organ. 

Their  singular  behavior  almost  led  me  to  imagine  that  they 
never  before  had  beheld  a  white  man  ;  but  a  few  moments'  re 
flection  convinced  me  that  this  could  not  have  been  the  case  ; 
and  a  more  satisfactory  reason  for  their  conduct  has  since  sug 
gested  itself  to  my  mind. 

Deterred  by  the  frightful  stories  related  of  its  inhabitants, 
ships  never  enter  this  bay,  while  their  hostile  relations  with  the 
tribes  in  the  adjoining  valleys  prevent  the  Typees  from  visiting 
that  section  of  the  island  where  vessels  occasionally  lie.  At  long 
intervals,  however,  some  intrepid  captain  will  touch  on  the  skirts 
of  the  bay,  with  two  or  three  armed  boats'  crews,  and  accompa 
nied  by  an  interpreter.  The  natives  who  live  near  the  sea  des 
cry  the  strangers  long  before  they  reach  their  waters,  and  aware 
of  the  purpose  for  which  they  come,  proclaim  loudly  the  news  of 
their  approach.  By  a  species  of  vocal  telegraph  the  intelligence 
reaches  the  inmost  recesses  of  the  vale  in  an  inconceivably  short 
space  of  time,  drawing  nearly  its  whole  population  down  to  the 
beach  laden  with  every  variety  of  fruit.  The  interpreter,  who 


CHAP,  x.]     SLIGHT  INTERCOURSE  WITH  EUROPEANS.  93 

is  invariably  a  "  tabooed  Kannaka,"*  leaps  ashore  with  the 
goods  intended  for  barter,  while  the  boats,  with  their  oars  shipped, 
and  every  man  on  his  thwart,  lie  just  outside  the  surf,  heading 
off  from  the  shore,  in  readiness  at  the  first  untoward  event  to  es 
cape  to  the  open  sea.  As  soon  as  the  traffic  is  concluded,  one  of 
the  boats  pulls  in  under  cover  of  the  muskets  of  the  others,  the 
fruit  is  quickly  thrown  into  her,  and  the  transient  visitors  preci 
pitately  retire  from  what  they  justly  consider  so  dangerous  a 
vicinity. 

The  intercourse  occurring  with  Europeans  being  so  restricted, 
no  wonder  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  valley  manifested  so  much 
curiosity  with  regard  to  us,  appearing  as  we  did  among  them  un 
der  such  singular  circumstances.  I  have  no  doubt  that  we  were 
the  first  white  men  who  ever  penetrated  thus  far  back  into  their 
territories,  or  at  least  the  first  who  had  ever  descended  from  the 
head  of  the  vale.  What  had  brought  us  thither  must  have  ap 
peared  a  complete  mystery  to  them,  and  from  our  ignorance  of 
the  language  it  was  impossible  for  us  to  enlighten  them.  In  an 
swer  to  inquiries  which  the  eloquence  of  their  gestures  enabled  us 
to  comprehend,  all  that  we  could  reply  was,  that  we  had  come 
from  Nukuheva,  a  place,  be  it  remembered,  with  which  they 
were  at  open  war.  This  intelligence  appeared  to  affect  them  with 
the  most  lively  emotions.  "  Nukuheva  mortarkee  ?"  they  asked. 
Of  course  we  replied  most  energetically  in  the  negative. 

They  then  plied  us  with  a  thousand  questions,  of  which  we 
could  understand  nothing  more  than  that  they  had  reference  to 

*  The  word  "  Kannaka"  is  at  the  present  day  universally  used  in  the 
South  Seas  by  Europeans  to  designate  the  Islanders.  In  the  various  dia 
lects  of  the  principal  groups  it  is  simply  a  sexual  designation  applied  to 
the  males  ;  but  it  is  now  used  by  the  natives  in  their  intercourse  with  fo 
reigners  in  the  same  sense  in  which  the  latter  employ  it. 

A  "  Tabooed  Kannaka"  is  an  islander  whose  person  has  been  made  to  a 
certain  extent  sacred  by  the  operation  of  a  singular  custom  hereafter  to  be 
explained. 


94  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  x. 

the  recent  movements  of  the  French,  against  whom  they  seemed 
to  cherish  the  most  fierce  hatred.  So  eager  were  they  to  obtain 
information  on  this  point,  that  they  still  continued  to  propound 
their  queries  long  after  we  had  shown  that  we  were  utterly  unable 
to  answer  them.  Occasionally  we  caught  some  indistinct  idea  of 
their  meaning,  when  we  would  endeavor  by  every  method  in  our 
power  to  communicate  the  desired  intelligence.  At  such  times 
their  gratification  was  boundless,  and  they  would  redouble  their 
efforts  to  make  us  comprehend  them  more  perfectly.  But  all  in 
vain ;  and  in  the  end  they  looked  at  us  despairingly,  as  if  we 
were  the  receptacles  of  invaluable  information,  but  how  to  come 
at  it  they  knew  not. 

After  a  while  the  group  around  us  gradually  dispersed,  and  we 
were  left  about  midnight  (as  we  conjectured)  with  those  who  ap 
peared  to  be  permanent  residents  of  the  house.  These  individu 
als  now  provided  us  with  fresh  mats  to  lie  upon,  covered  us  with 
several  folds  of  tappa,  and  then  extinguishing  the  tapers  that  had 
been  burning,  threw  themselves  down  beside  us,  and  after  a  little 
desultory  conversation  were  soon  sound  asleep. 


CHAP,  xi.]  MIDNIGHT  REFLECTIONS.  95 


CHAPTER  XL 

Midnight  Reflections — Morning  Visitors — A  Warrior  in  Costume — A  Sa 
vage  ^Esculapius — Practice  of  the  Healing  Art — Body  Servant — A 
Dwelling-house  of  the  Valley  described — Portraits  of  its  Inmates. 

VARIOUS  and  conflicting  were  the  thoughts  which  oppressed  me 
during  the  silent  hours  that  followed  the  events  related  in  the 
preceding  chapter.  Toby,  wearied  with  the  fatigues  of  the  day, 
slumbered  heavily  by  my  side  ;  but  the  pain  under  which  I  was 
suffering  effectually  prevented  my  sleeping,  and  I  remained  dis 
tressingly  alive  to  all  the  fearful  circumstances  of  our  present 
situation.  Was  it  possible  that  after  all  our  vicissitudes  we  were 
really  in  the  terrible  valley  of  Typee,  and  at  the  mercy  of  its 
inmates,  a  fierce  and  unrelenting  tribe  of  savages  ? 

Typee  or  Happar  ?  I  shuddered  when  I  reflected  that  there 
was  no  longer  any  room  for  doubt ;  and  that,  beyond  all  hope  of 
escape,  we  were  now  placed  in  those  very  circumstances  from 
the  bare  thought  of  which  I  had  recoiled  with  such  abhorrence 
but  a  few  days  before.  What  might  not  be  our  fearful  destiny  ? 
To  be  sure,  as  yet  we  had  been  treated  with  no  violence  ;  nay, 
had  been  even  kindly  and  hospitably  entertained.  But  what 
dependence  could  be  placed  upon  the  fickle  passions  which  sway 
the  bosom  of  a  savage  ?  His  inconstancy  and  treachery  are  pro 
verbial.  Might  it  not  be  that  beneath  these  fair  appearances  the 
islanders  covered  some  perfidious  design,  and  that  their  friendly 
reception  of  us  might  only  precede  some  horrible  catastrophe  ? 
How  strongly  did  these  forebodings  spring  up  in  my  mind  as  I 
lay  restlessly  upon  a  couch  of  mats,  surrounded  by  the  dimly 
revealed  forms  of  those  whom  I  so  greatly  dreaded. 


96  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xi. 

From  the  excitement  of  these  fearful  thoughts  I  sank  towards 
morning  into  an  uneasy  slumber ;  and  on  awaking,  with  a  start, 
in  the  midst  of  an  appalling  dream,  looked  up  into  the  eager 
countenances  of  a  number  of  the  natives,  who  were  bending  over 
me. 

It  was  broad  day  ;  and  the  house  was  nearly  filled  with  young 
females,  fancifully  decorated  with  flowers,  who  gazed  upon  me 
as  I  rose  with  faces  in  which  childish  delight  and  curiosity  were 
vividly  portrayed.  After  waking  Toby,  they  seated  themselves 
round  us  on  the  mats,  and  gave  full  play  to  that  prying  inquisi- 
tiveness  which  time  out  of  mind  has  been  attributed  to  the  adora 
ble  sex. 

As  these  unsophisticated  young  creatures  were  attended  by  no 
jealous  duennas,  their  proceedings  were  altogether  informal,  and 
void  of  artificial  restraint.  Long  and  minute  was  the  investiga 
tion  with  which  they  honored  us,  and  so  uproarious  their  mirth, 
that  I  felt  infinitely  sheepish  ;  and  Toby  was  immeasurably  out 
raged  at  their  familiarity.  '  . 

These  lively  young  ladies  were  at  the  same  time  wonderfully 
polite  and  humane  ;  fanning  aside  the  insects  that  occasionally 
lighted  on  our  brows  ;  presenting  us  with  food  ;  and  compassion 
ately  regarding  me  in  the  midst  of  my  afflictions.  But  in  spite 
of  all  their  blandishments,  my  feelings  of  propriety  were  exceed 
ingly  shocked,  for  I  could  not  but  consider  them  as  having  over 
stepped  the  due  limits  of  female  decorum. 

Having  diverted  themselves  to  their  hearts'  content,  our  young 
visitants  now  withdrew,  and  gave  place  to  successive  troops  of 
the  other  sex,  who  continued  flocking  towards  the  house  until 
near  noon  ;  by  which  time  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  greater  part 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  valley  had  bathed  themselves  in  the  light 
of  our  benignant  countenances. 

At  last,  when  their,  numbers  began  to  diminish,  a  superb, 
looking  warrior  stooped  the  towe"ring  plumes  of  his  head-dress 


CHAP,  xi.]  WARRIOR  IN  HIS  COSTUME.  97 

beneath  the  low  portal,  and  entered  the  house.  I  saw  at  once 
that  he  was  some  distinguished  personage,  the  natives  regarding 
him  with  the  utmost  deference,  and  making  room  for  him  as  he 
approached.  His  aspect  was  imposing.  The  splendid  long 
drooping  tail-feathers  of  the  tropical  bird,  thickly  interspersed 
with  the  gaudy  plumage  of  the  cock,  were  disposed  in  an  im 
mense  upright  semicircle  upon  his  head,  their  lower  extremities 
being  fixed  in  a  crescent  of  guinea-beads  which  spanned  the  fore 
head.  Around  his  neck  were  several  enormous  necklaces  of 
boar's  tusks,  polished  like  ivory,  and  disposed  in  such  a  manner 
as  that  the  longest  and  largest,  were  upon  his  capacious  chest. 
Thrust  forward  through  the  large  apertures  in  his  ears  were  two 
small  and  finely-shaped  sperm  whale  teeth,  presenting  their  cavi 
ties  in  front,  stuffed  with  freshly-plucked  leaves,  and  curiously 
wrought  at  the  other  end  into  strange  little  images  and  devices. 
These  barbaric  trinkets,  garnished  in  this  manner  at  their  open 
extremities,  and  tapering  and  curving  round  to  a  point  behind 
the  ear,  resembled  not  a  little  a  pair  of  cornucopias. 

The  loins  of  the  warrior  were  girt  about  with  heavy  folds  of  a 
dark-colored  tappa,  hanging  before  and  behind  in  clusters  of 
braided  tassels,  while  anklets  and  bracelets  of  curling  human  hair 
completed  his  unique  costume.  In  his  right  hand  he  grasped  a 
beautifully  carved  paddle-spear,  nearly  fifteen  feet  in  length, 
made  of  the  bright  koar-wood,  one  end  sharply  pointed,  and  the 
other  flattened  like  an  oar-blade.  Hanging  obliquely  from  his 
girdle  by  a  loop  of  sinuate,  was  a  richly  decorated  pipe  ;  the  slen 
der  reed  forming  its  stem  was  colored  with  a  red  pigment,  and 
round  it,  as  well  as  the  idol-bowl,  fluttered  little  streamers  of  the 
thinnest  tappa. 

But  that  which  was  most  remarkable  in  the  appearance  of  this 

splendid  islander  was  the  elaborate  tattooing  displayed  on  every 

noble  limb.     All  imaginable  lines  and  curves  and  figures  were 

delineated  over  his  whole  body,  and  in  their  grotesque  variety 

6 


98  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS,  [CHAP,  xi 

and  infinite  profusion  I  could  only  compare  them  to  the  crowded 
groupings  of  quaint  patterns  we  sometimes  see  in  costly  pieces  of 
lace  work.  The  most  simple  and  remarkable  of  all  these  orna 
ments  was  that  which  decorated  the  countenance  of  the  chief. 
Two  broad  stripes  of  tattooing,  diverging  from  the  centre  of  his 
shaven  crown,  obliquely  crossed  both  eyes — staining  the  lids — to 
a  little  below  either  ear,  where  they  united  with  another  stripe 
which  swept  in  a  straight  line  along  the  lips  and  formed  the  base 
of  the  triangle.  The  warrior,  from  the  excellence  of  his  physical 
proportions,  might  certainly  have  been  regarded  as  one  of  Na 
ture's  noblemen,  and  the  lines  drawn  upon  his  face  may  possibly 
have  denoted  his  exalted  rank. 

This  warlike  personage,  upon  entering  the  house,  seated  him 
self  at  some  distance  from  the  spot  where  Toby  and  myself 
reposed,  while  the  rest  of  the  savages  looked  alternately  from  us 
to  him,  as  if  in  expectation  of  something  they  were  disappointed 
in  not  perceiving.  Regarding  the  chief  attentively,  I  thought 
his  lineaments  appeared  familiar  to  me.  As  soon  as  his  full  face 
was  turned  upon  me,  and  I  again  beheld  its  extraordinary  embel 
lishment,  and  met  the  strange  gaze  to  which  I  had  been  subjected 
the  preceding  night,  I  immediately,  in  spite  of  the  alteration  in 
his  appearance,  recognized  the  noble  Mehevi.  On  addressing 
him,  he  advanced  at  once  in  the  most  cordial  manner,  and 
greeting  me  warmly,  seemed  to  enjoy  not  a  little  the  effect  his 
barbaric  costume  had  produced  upon  me. 

I  forthwith  determined  to  secure,  if  possible,  the  good  will  of 
this  individual,  as  I  easily  perceived  he  was  a  man  of  great 
authority  in  his  tribe,  and  one  who  might  exert  a  powerful  in- 
fluence  upon  our  subsequent  fate.  In  the  endeavor  I  was  not 
repulsed  ;  for  nothing  could  surpass  the  friendliness  he  manifested 
towards  both  my  companion  and  myself.  He  extended  his  sturdy 
limbs  by  our  side,  and  endeavored  to  make  us  comprehend  the 
full  extent  of  the  kindly  feelings  by  which  he  was  actuated.  The 


CHAP,  xi.]  A  NATIVE  ^SCULAPIUS.  90 

almost  insuperable  difficulty  in  communicating  to  one  another 
our  ideas  affected  the  chief  with  no  little  mortification.  He  evinced 
a  great  desire  to  be  enlightened  with  regard  to  the  customs  and 
peculiarities  of  the  far-off  country  we  had  left  behind  us,  and  to 
which  under  the  name  of  Maneeka  he  frequently  alluded. 

But  that  which  more  than  any  other  subject  engaged  his  atten 
tion  was  the  late  proceedings  of  the  "  France,"  as  he  called  the 
French,  in  the  neighboring  bay  of  Nukuheva.  This  seemed  a 
never-ending  theme  with  him,  and  one  concerning  which  he  was 
never  weary  of  interrogating  us.  All  the  information  we  suc 
ceeded  in  imparting  to  him  on  this  subject  was  little  more  than 
that  we  had  seen  six  men-of-war  lying  in  the  hostile  bay  at  the 
time  we  had  left  it.  When  he  received  this  intelligence,  Mehevi, 
by  the  aid  of  his  fingers,  went  through  a  long  numerical  calcula 
tion,  as  if  estimating  the  number  of  Frenchmen  the  squadron 
might  contain. 

It  was  just  after  employing  his  faculties  in  this  way  that  he 
happened  to  notice  the  swelling  in  my  limb.  He  immediately 
examined  it  with  the  utmost  attention,  and  after  doing  so,  de 
spatched  a  boy  who  happened  to  be  standing  by  with  some  mes 
sage. 

After  the  lapse  of  a  few  moments  the  stripling  re-entered  the 
house  with  an  aged  islander,  who  might  have  been  taken  for  old 
Hippocrates  himself.  His  head  was  as  bald  as  the  polished  sur 
face  of  a  cocoa-nut  shell,  which  article  it  precisely  resembled  in 
smoothness  and  color,  while  a  long  silvery  beard  swept  almost 
to  his  girdle  of  bark.  Encircling  his  temples  was  a  bandeau  of 
the  twisted  leaves  of  the  Omoo  tree,  pressed  closely  over  the 
brows  to  shield  his  feeble  vision  from  the  glare  of  the  sun.  His 
tottering  steps  were  supported  by  a  long  slim  staff,  resembling 
the  wand  with  which  a  theatrical  magician  appears  on  the  stage, 
and  in  one  hand  he  carried  a  freshly  plaited  fan  of  the  green 
leaflets  of  the  cocoa-nut  tree.  A  flowing  robe  of  tappa,  knotted 


100  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xi. 


over  the  shoulder,  hung  loosely  round  his  stooping  form,  and 
heightened  the  venerableness  of  his  aspect. 

Mehevi,  saluting  this  old  gentleman,  motioned  him  to  a  seat 
between  us,  and  then  uncovering  my  limb,  desired  him  to  examine 
it.  The  leech  gazed  intently  from  me  to  Toby,  and  then  pro 
ceeded  to  business.  After  diligently  observing  the  ailing  member, 
he  commenced  manipulating  it ;  and  on  the  supposition  probably 
that  the  complaint  had  deprived  the  leg  of  all  sensation,  began  to 
pinch  and  hammer  it  in  such  a  manner  that  I  absolutely  roared 
with  the  pain.  Thinking  that  I  was  as  capable  of  making  an 
application  of  thumps  and  pinches  to  the  part  as  any  one  else,  I 
endeavored  to  resist  this  species  of  medical  treatment.  But  it 
was  not  so  easy  a  matter  to  get  out  of  the  clutches  of  the  old 
wizard  ;  he  fastened  on  the  unfortunate  limb  as  if  it  were  some 
thing  for  which  he  had  been  long  seeking,  and  muttering  some 
kind  of  incantation  continued  his  discipline,  pounding  it  after  a 
fashion  that  set  me  well  nigh  crazy  ;  while  Mehevi,  upon  the 
same  principle  which  prompts  an  affectionate  mother  to  hold  a 
struggling  child  in  a  dentist's  chair,  restrained  me  in  his  powerful 
grasp,  and  actually  encouraged  the  wretch  in  this  infliction  of 
torture. 

Almost  frantic  with  rage  and  pain,  I  yelled  like  a  bedlamite  ; 
while  Toby,  throwing  himself  into  all  the  attitudes  of  a  posture- 
master,  vainly  endeavored  to  expostulate  with  the  natives  by  signs 
and  gestures.  To  have  looked  at  my  companion,  as,  sympa 
thizing  with  my  sufferings,  he  strove  to  put  an  end  to  them,  one 
would  have  thought  that  he  was  the  deaf  and  dumb  alphabet 
incarnated.  Whether  my  tormentor  yielded  to  Toby's  entreaties, 
or  paused  from  sheer  exhaustion,  I  do  not  know  ;  but  all  at  once 
he  ceased  his  operations,  and  at  the  same  time  the  chief  relinquish 
ing  his  hold  upon  me,  I  fell  back,  faint  and  breathless  with  the 
agony  I  had  endured. 

My  unfortunate  limb  was  now  left  much  in  the  same  condition 


CHAP,  xi.]  IS  PROVIDED  WITH  A  SERVANT.  101 

as  a  rump-steak  after  undergoing  the  castigating  process  which 
precedes  cooking.  My  physician,  having  recovered  from  the 
fatigues  of  his  exertions,  as  if  anxious  to  make  amends  for  the 
pain  to  which  he  had  subjected  me,  now  took  some  herbs  out  of  a 
little  wallet  that  was  suspended  from  his  waist,  and  moistening 
them  in  water,  applied  them  to  the  inflamed  part,  stooping  over  it 
at  the  same  time,  and  either  whispering  a  spell,  or  having  a  little 
confidential  chat  with  some  imaginary  demon  located  in  the  calf 
of  my  leg.  My  limb  was  now  swathed  in  leafy  bandages,  and 
grateful  to  Providence  for  the  cessation  of  hostilities,  I  was  suffered 
to  rest. 

Mehevi  shortly  after  rose  to  depart ;  but  before  he  went  he 
spoke  authoritatively  to  one  of  the  natives  whom  he  addressed  as 
Kory-Kory ;  and  from  the  little  I  could  understand  of  what  took 
place,  pointed  him  out  to  me  as  a  man  whose  peculiar  business 
thenceforth  would  be  to  attend  upon  my  person.  I  am  not  certain 
that  I  comprehended  as  much  as  this  at  the  time,  but  the  subse 
quent  conduct  of  my  trusty  body-servant  fully  assured  me  that 
such  must  have  been  the  case. 

I  could  not  but  be  amused  at  the  manner  in  which  the  chief 
addressed  me  upon  this  occasion,  talking  to  me  for  at  least  fifteen 
or  twenty  minutes  as  calmly  as  if  I  could  understand  every  word 
that  he  said.  I  remarked  this  peculiarity  very  often  afterwards 
in  many  other  of  the  islanders. 

Mehevi  having  now  departed,  and  the  family  physician  having 
likewise  made  his  exit,  we  were  left  about  sunset  with  the  ten  or 
twelve  natives,  who  by  this  time  I  had  ascertained  composed  the 
household  of  which  Toby  and  I  were  members.  As  the  dwelling 
to  which  we  had  been  first  introduced  was  the  place  of  my  perma 
nent  abode  while  I  remained  in  the  valley,  and  as  I  was  necessa 
rily  placed  upon  the  most  intimate  footing  with  its  occupants,  I 
may  as  well  here  enter  into  a  little  description  of  it  and  its 
inhabitants.  This  description  will  apply  also  to  nearly  all  the 


102  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xi. 

other  dwelling-places  in  the  vale,  and  will  furnish  some  idea  of  the 
generality  of  the  natives. 

Near  one  side  of  the  valley,  and  about  midway  up  the  ascent 
of  a  rather  abrupt  rise  of  ground  waving  with  the  richest  verdure, 
a  number  of  large  stones  were  laid  in  successive  courses,  to  the 
height  of  nearly  eight  feet,  and  disposed  in  such  a  manner  that 
their  level  surface  corresponded  in  shape  with  the  habitation  which 
was  perched  upon  it.  A  narrow  space,  however,  was  reserved 
in  front  of  the  dwelling,  upon  the  summit  of  this  pile  of  stones 
(called  by  the  natives  a  "pi-pi"),  which  being  enclosed  by  a 
little  picket  of  canes,  gave  it  somewhat  the  appearance  of  a 
verandah.  The  frame  of  the  house  was  constructed  of  large 
bamboos  planted  uprightly,  and  secured  together  at  intervals  by 
transverse  stalks  of  the  light  wood  of  the  habiscus,  lashed  with 
thongs  of  bark.  The  rear  of  the  tenement — built  up  with  suc 
cessive  ranges  of  cocoa-nut  boughs  bound  one  upon  another,  with 
their  leaflets  cunningly  woven  together — inclined  a  little  from  the 
vertical,  and  extended  from  the  extreme  edge  of  the  "  pi-pi "  to 
about  twenty  feet  from  its  surface  ;  whence  the  shelving  roof — 
thatched  with  the  long  tapering  leaves  of  the  palmetto — sloped 
steeply  off  to  within  about  five  feet  of  the  floor  ;  leaving  the  eaves 
drooping  with  tassel-like  appendages  over  the  front  of  the  habita 
tion.  This  was  constructed  of  light  and  elegant  canes,  in  a  kind 
of  open  screen- work,  tastefully  adorned  with  bindings  of  variegated 
sinnate,  which  served  to  hold  together  its  various  parts.  The 
sides  of  the  house  were  similarly  built ;  thus  presenting  three 
quarters  for  the  circulation  of  the  air,  while  the  whole  was  imper 
vious  to  the  rain. 

In  length  this  picturesque  building  was  perhaps  twelve  yards, 
while  in  breadth  it  could  not  have  exceeded  as  many  feet.  So 
much  for  the  exterior ;  which,  with  its  wire-like  reed-twisted  sides, 
not  a  little  reminded  me  of  an  immense  aviary. 

Stooping  a  little,  you  passed  through  a  narrow  aperture  in  its 


CHAP,  xi.]  A  DWELLING-HOUSE  DESCRIBED.  103 

front.  ;  and  facing  you,  on  entering,  lay  two  long,  perfectly 
straight,  and  well-polished  trunks  of  the  cocoa-nut  tree,  extending 
the  full  length  of  the  dwelling ;  one  of  them  placed  closely  against 
the  rear,  and  the  other  lying  parallel  with  it  some  two  yards  dis 
tant,  the  interval  between  them  being  spread  with  a  multitude  of 
gaily-worked  mats,  nearly  all  of  a  different  pattern.  This  space 
formed  the  common  couch  and  lounging  place  of  the  natives, 
answering  the  purpose  of  a  divan  in  Oriental  countries.  Here 
would  they  slumber  through  the  hours  of  the  night,  and  recline 
luxuriously  during  the  greater  part  of  the  day.  The  remainder 
of  the  floor  presented  only  the  cool  shining  surfaces  of  the  large 
stones  of  which  the  "pi-pi"  was  composed. 

From  the  ridge  pole  of  the  house  hung  suspended  a  number  of 
large  packages  enveloped  in  coarse  tappa  ;  some  of  which  con 
tained  festival  dresses,  and  various  other  matters  of  the  wardrobe, 
held  in  high  estimation.  These  were  easily  accessible  by  means 
of  a  line,  which,  passing  over  the  ridge-pole,  had  one  end  attached 
to  a  bundle,  while  with  the  other,  which  led  to  the  side  of  the 
dwelling  and  was  there  secured,  the  package  could  be  lowered  or 
elevated  at  pleasure. 

Against  the  farther  wall  of  the  house  were  arranged  in  tasteful 
figures  a  variety  of  spears  and  javelins,  and  other  implements  of 
savage  warfare.  Outside  of  the  habitation,  and  built  upon  the 
piazza-like  area  in  its  front,  was  a  little  shed  used  as  a  sort  of 
larder  or  pantry,  and  in  which  were  stored  various  articles  of 
domestic  use  and  convenience.  A  few  yards  from  the  pi-pi  was 
a  large  shed  built  of  cocoa-nut  boughs,  where  the  process  of  pre 
paring  the  "  poee-poee  "  was  carried  on,  and  all  culinary  opera 
tions  attended  to. 

Thus  much  for  the  house,  and  its  appurtenances  ;  and  it  will 
be  readily  acknowledged  that  a  more  commodious  and  appro 
priate  dwelling  for  the  climate  and  the  people  could  not  possibly 
be  devised.  It  was  cool,  free  to  admit  the  air,  scrupulously 


104  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP,  xi 

clean,  and  elevated  above  the  dampness  and  impurities  of  the 
ground. 

But  now  to  sketch  the  inmates ;  and  here  I  claim  for  my  tried 
servitor  and  faithful  valet  Kory-Kory  the  precedence  of  a  first 
description.  As  his  character  will  be  gradually  unfolded  in  the 
course  of  my  narrative,  I  shall  for  the  present  content  myself  with 
delineating  his  personal  appearance.  Kory-Kory,  though  the 
most  devoted  and  best  natured  serving-man  in  the  world,  was, 
alas !  a  hideous  object  to  look  upon.  He  was  some  twenty-five 
years  of  age,  and  about  six  feet  in  height,  robust  and  well  made, 
and  of  the  most  extraordinary  aspect.  His  head  was  carefully 
shaven,  with  the  exception  of  two  circular  spots,  about  the  size  of 
a  dollar,  near  the  top  of  the  cranium,  where  the  hair,  permitted 
to  grow  of  an  amazing  length,  was  twisted  up  in  two  prominent 
knots,  that  gave  him  the  appearance  of  being  decorated  with  a  pair 
of  horns.  His  beard,  plucked  out  by  the  root  from  every  other 
part  of  his  face,  was  suffered  to  droop  in  hairy  pendants,  two  of 
which  garnished  his  under  lip,  and  an  equal  number  hung  from 
the  extremity  of  his  chin. 

Kory-Kory,  with  a  view  of  improving  the  handiwork  of  nature, 
and  perhaps  prompted  by  a  desire  to  add  to  the  engaging  expres 
sion  of  his  countenance,  had  seen  fit  to  embellish  his  face  with 
three  broad  longitudinal  stripes  of  tattooing,  which,  like  those 
country  roads  that  go  straight  forward  in  defiance  of  all  obstacles, 
crossed  his  nasal  organ,  descended  into  the  hollow  of  his  eyes, 
and  even  skirted  the  borders  of  his  mouth.  Each  completely 
spanned  his  physiognomy ;  one  extending  in  a  line  with  his  eyes, 
another  crossing  the  face  in  the  vicinity  of  the  nose,  and  the  third 
sweeping  along  his  lips  from  ear  to  ear.  His  countenance  thus 
triply  hooped,  as  it  were,  with  tattooing,  always  reminded  me  of 
those  unhappy  wretches  whom  I  have  sometimes  observed  gazing 
out  sentimentally  from  behind  the  grated  bars  of  a  prison  window; 
whilst  the  entire  body  of  my  savage  valet,  covered  all  over  with 


CHAP,  xi.]  THE  FATHER  OF  KORY-KORY.  105 

representations  of  birds  and  fishes,  and  a  variety  of  most  unac 
countable-looking  creatures,  suggested  to  me  the  idea  of  a  pic 
torial  museum  of  natural  history,  or  an  illustrated  copy  of  "  Gold 
smith's  Animated  Nature." 

But  it  seems  really  heartless  in  me  to  write  thus  of  the  poor 
islander,  when  I  owe  perhaps  to  his  unremitting  attentions  the 
very  existence  I  now  enjoy.  Kory-Kory,  I  mean  thee  no  harm 
in  what  I  say  in  regard  to  thy  outward  adornings  ;  but  they  were  a 
little  curious  to  my  unaccustomed  sight,  and  therefore  I  dilate  upon 
them.  But  to  underrate  or  forget  thy  faithful  services  is  something 
I  could  never  be  guilty  of,  even  in  the  giddiest  moment  of  my  life. 

The  father  of  my  attached  follower  was  a  native  of  gigantic 
frame,  and  had  once  possessed  prodigious  physical  powers ;  but 
the  lofty  form  was  now  yielding  to  the  inroads  of  time,  though  the 
hand  of  disease  seemed  never  to  have  been  laid  upon  the  aged 
warrior.  Marheyo — for  such  was  his  name — appeared  to  have 
retired  from  all  active  participation  in  the  affairs  of  the  valley, 
seldom  or  never  accompanying  the  natives  in  their  various  expe 
ditions  ;  and  employing  the  greater  part  of  his  time  in  throwing 
up  a  little  shed  just  outside  the  house,  upon  which  he  was  engaged 
to  my  certain  knowledge  for  four  months,  without  appearing  to 
make  any  sensible  advance.  I  suppose  the  old  gentleman  was 
in  his  dotage,  for  he  manifested  in  various  ways  the  characteris 
tics  which  mark  this  particular  stage  of  life. 

I  remember  in  particular  his  having  a  choice  pair  of  ear-orna 
ments,  fabricated  from  the  teeth  of  some  sea-monster.  These  he 
would  alternately  wear  and  take  off  at  least  fifty  times  in  the 
course  of  the  day,  going  and  coming  from  his  little  hut  on  each 
occasion  with  all  the  tranquillity  imaginable.  Sometimes  slipping 
them  through  the  slits  in  his  ears,  he  would  seize  his  spear — 
which  in  length  and  slightness  resembled  a  fishing-pole — and  go 
stalking  beneath  the  shadows  of  the  neighboring  groves,  as  if 
about  to  give  a  hostile  meeting  to  some  cannibal  knight.  But  he 
6* 


106  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.          [CHAP.  xi. 

would  soon  return  again,  and  hiding  his  weapon  under  the  pro 
jecting  eaves  of  the  house,  and  rolling  his  clumsy  trinkets  care 
fully  in  a  piece  of  tappa,  would  resume  his  more  pacific  opera 
tions  as  quietly  as  if  he  had  never  interrupted  them. 

But  despite  his  eccentricities,  Marheyo  was  a  most  paternal 
and  warm-hearted  old  fellow,  and  in  this  particular  not  a  little 
resembled  his  son  Kory-Kory.  The  mother  of  the  latter  was  the 
mistress  of  the  family,  and  a  notable  housewife,  and  a  most  in 
dustrious  old  lady  she  was.  If  she  did  not  understand  the  art 
of  making  jellies,  jams,  custards,  tea-cakes,  and  such  like  trashy 
affairs,  she  was  profoundly  skilled  in  the  mysteries  of  preparing 
"  amar,"  "  poee-poee,"  and  "  kokoo,"  with  other  substantial  mat 
ters.  She  was  a  genuine  busy-body ;  bustling  about  the  house 
like  a  country  landlady  at  an  unexpected  arrival  ;  for  ever  giving 
the  young  girls  tasks  to  perform,  which  the  little  hussies  as  often 
neglected  ;  poking  into  every  corner,  and  rummaging  over  bun 
dles  of  old  tappa,  or  making  a  prodigious  clatter  among  the  cala 
bashes.  Sometimes  she  might  have  been  seen  squatting  upon  her 
haunches  in  front  of  a  huge  wooden  basin,  and  kneading  poee- 
poee  with  terrific  vehemence,  dashing  the  stone  pestle  about  as 
if  she  would  shiver  the  vessel  into  fragments  ;  on  other  occa 
sions,  galloping  about  the  valley  in  search  of  a  particular  kind 
of  leaf,  used  in  some  of  her  recondite  operations,  and  returning 
home,  toiling  and  sweating,  with  a  bundle  of  it,  under  which 
most  women  would  have  sunk. 

To  tell  the  truth,  Kory-Kory's  mother  was  the  only  industrious 
person  in  all  the  valley  of  Typee ;  and  she  could  not  have  em 
ployed  herself  more  actively  had  she  been  left  an  exceedingly 
muscular  and  destitute  widow,  with  an  inordinate  supply  of  young 
children,  in  the  bleakest  part  of  the  civilized  world.  There  was 
not  the  slightest  necessity  for  the  greater  portion  of  the  labor  per 
formed  by  the  old  lady  :  but  she  seemed  to  work  from  some  irre 
sistible  impulse ;  her  limbs  continually  swaying  to  and  fro,  as  if 


CHAP,  xi.]  NATIVES  DESCRIBED.  107 

there  were  some  indefatigable  engine  concealed  within  her  body 
which  kept  her  in  perpetual  motion. 

Never  suppose  that  she  was  a  termagant  or  a  shrew  for  all 
this ;  she  had  the  kindliest  heart  in  the  world,  and  acted  towards 
me  in  particular  in  a  truly  maternal  manner,  occasionally  putting 
some  little  morsel  of  choice  food  into  my  hand,  some  outlandish 
kind  of  savage  sweetmeat  or  pastry,  like  a  doting  mother  petting 
a  sickly  urchin  with  tarts  and  sugar  plums.  Warm  indeed  are 
my  remembrances  of  the  dear,  good,  affectionate  old  Tinor ! 

Besides  the  individuals  I  have  mentioned,  there  belonged  to  the 
household  three  young  men,  dissipated,  good-for-nothing,  roystering 
blades  of  savages,  who  were  either  employed  in  prosecuting  love 
affairs  with  the  maidens  of  the  tribe,  or  grew  boozy  on  "  arva  " 
and  tobacco  in  the  company  of  congenial  spirits,  the  scapegraces 
of  the  valley. 

Among  the  permanent  inmates  of  the  house  were  likewise 
several  lovely  damsels,  who  instead  of  thrumming  pianos  and 
reading  novels,  like  more  enlightened  young  ladies,  substituted 
for  these  employments  the  manufacture  of  a  fine  species  of  tappa ; 
but  for  the  greater  portion  of  the  time  were  skipping  from  house 
to  house,  gadding  and  gossiping  with  their  acquaintances.  » 

From  the  rest  of  these,  however,  I  must  except  the  beauteous 
nymph  Fayaway,  who  was  my  peculiar  favorite.  Her  free  pliant 
figure  was  the  very  perfection  of  female  grace  and  beauty.  Her 
complexion  was  a  rich  and  mantling  olive,  and  when  watching 
the  glow  upon  her  cheeks  I  could  almost  swear  that  beneath  the 
transparent  medium  there  lurked  the  blushes  of  a  faint  vermilion. 
The  face  of  this  girl  was  a  rounded  oval,  and  each  feature  as 
perfectly  formed  as  the  heart  or  imagination  of  man  could  desire. 
Her  full  lips,  when  parted  with  a  smile,  disclosed  teeth  of  a  daz 
zling  whiteness ;  and  when  her  rosy  mouth  opened  with  a  burst 
of  merriment,  they  looked  like  the  milk-white  seeds  of  the 
"  arta,"  a  fruit  of  the  valley,  which,  when  cleft  in  twain,  shows 


108  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xi. 

them  reposing  in  rows  on  either  side,  imbedded  in  the  rich  and 
juicy  pulp.  Her  hair  of  the  deepest  brown,  parted  irregularly 
in  the  middle,  flowed  in  natural  ringlets  over  her  shoulders,  and 
whenever  she  chanced  to  stoop,  fell  over  and  hid  from  view  her 
lovely  bosom.  Gazing  into  the  depths  of  her  strange  blue  eyes, 
when  she  was  in  a  contemplative  mood,  they  seemed  most  placid 
yet  unfathomable  ;  but  when  illuminated  by  some  lively  emotion, 
they  beamed  upon  the  beholder  like  stars.  The  hands  of  Fay- 
away  were  as  soft  and  delicate  as  those  of  any  countess  j  for  an 
entire  exemption  from  rude  labor  marks  the  girlhood  and  even 
prime  of  a  Typee  woman's  life.  Her  feet,  though  wholly  ex 
posed,  were  as  diminutive  and  fairly  shaped  as  those  which  peep 
from  beneath  the  skirts  of  a  Lima  lady's  dress.  The  skin  of  this 
young  creature,  from  continual  ablutions  and  the  use  of  mollify 
ing  ointments,  was  inconceivably  smooth  and  soft. 

I  may  succeed,  perhaps,  in  particularising  some  of  the  indi 
vidual  features  of  Fayaway's  beauty,  but  that  general  loveliness 
of  appearance  which  they  all  contributed  to  produce  I  will  not 
attempt  to  describe.  The  easy  unstudied  graces  of  a  child  of 
nature  like  this,  breathing  from  infancy  an  atmosphere  of  per- 
pa|ual  summer,  and  nurtured  by  the  simple  fruits  of  the  earth ; 
enjoying  a  perfect  freedom  from  care  and  anxiety,  and  removed 
effectually  from  all  injurious  tendencies,  strike  the  eye  in  a  man 
ner  which  cannot  be  portrayed.  This  picture  is  no  fancy 
sketch  ;  it  is  drawn  from  the  most  vivid  recollections  of  the  person 
delineated. 

Were  I  asked  if  the  beauteous  form  of  Fayaway  was  altogether 
free  from  the  hideous  blemish  of  tattooing,  I  should  be  constrained 
to  answer  that  it  was  not.  But  the  practitioners  of  the  barbarous 
art,  so  remorseless  in  their  inflictions  upon  the  brawny  limbs  of 
the  warriors  of  the  tribe,  seem  to  be  conscious  that  it  needs  not 
the  resources  of  their  profession  to  augment  the  charms  of  the 
maidens  of  the  vale. 


I 


CHAP,  xi.]  THE  BEAUTIFUL  FAYAWAY.  109 

The  females  are  very  little  embellished  in  this  way,  and  Fay- 
away,  and  all  the  other  young  girls  of  her  age,  were  even  less 
so  than  those  of  their  sex  more  advanced  in  years.  The  reason 
of  this  peculiarity  will  be  alluded  to  hereafter.  All  the  tattooing 
that  the  nymph  in  question  exhibited  upon  her  person  may  be 
easily  described.  Three  minute  dots,  no  bigger  than  pin-heads, 
decorated  either  lip,  and  at  a  little  distance  were  not  at  all  dis 
cernible.  Just  upon  the  fall  of  the  shoulder  were  drawn  two 
parallel  lines  half  an  inch  apart,  and  perhaps  three  inches  in 
length,  the  interval  being  rilled  with  delicately  executed  figures. 
These  narrow  bands  of  tattooing,  thus  placed,  always  reminded 
me  of  those  stripes  of  gold  lace  worn  by  officers  in  undress,  and 
which  are  in  lieu  of  epaulettes  to  denote  their  rank. 

Thus  much  was  Fayaway  tattooed.  The  audacious  hand 
which  had  gone  so  far  in  its  desecrating  work  stopping  short,  ap 
parently  wanting  the  heart  to  proceed. 

But  I  have  omitted  to  describe  the  dress  worn  by  this  nymph 
of  the  valley. 

Fayaway — I  must  avow  the  fact — for  the  most  part  clung  to 
the  primitive  and  summer  garb  of  Eden.  But  how  becoming 
the  costume !  It  showed  her  fine  figure  to  the  best  possible  ad 
vantage  ;  and  nothing  could  have  been  better  adapted  to  her 
peculiar  style  of  beauty.  On  ordinary  occasions  she  was  habited 
precisely  as  I  have  described  the  two  youthful  savages  whom  we 
had  met  on  first  entering  the  valley.  At  other  times,  when  ram 
bling  among  the  groves,  or  visiting  at  the  houses  of  her  ac 
quaintances,  she  wore  a  tunic  of  white  tappa,  reaching  from  her 
waist  to  a  little  below  the  knees  ;  and  when  exposed  for  any 
length  of  time  to  the  sun,  she  invariably  protected  herself  from 
its  rays  by  a  floating  mantle  of  the  same  material,  loosely 
gathered  about  the  person.  Her  gala  dress  will  be  described 
hereafter. 

As  the  beauties  of  our  own  land  delight  in  bedecking  themselves 


110  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xi. 

with  fanciful  articles  of  jewelry,  suspending  them  from  their  ears, 
hanging  them  about  their  necks,  and  clasping  them  around  their 
wrists ;  so  Fayaway  and  her  companions  were  in  the  habit  of 
ornamenting  themselves  with  similar  appendages. 

Flora  was  their  jeweller.  Sometimes  they  wore  necklaces  of 
small  carnation  flowers,  strung  like  rubies  upon  a  fibre  of  tappa, 
or  displayed  in  their  ears  a  single  white  bud,  the  stem  thrust 
backward  through  the  aperture,  and  showing  in  front  the  delicate 
petals  folded  together  in  a  beautiful  sphere,  and  looking  like  a 
drop  of  the  purest  pearl.  Chaplets  too,  resembling  in  their  ar 
rangement  the  strawberry  coronal  worn  by  an  English  peeress,  and 
composed  of  intertwined  leaves  and  blossoms,  often  crowned  their 
temples ;  and  bracelets  and  anklets  of  the  same  tasteful  pattern 
were  frequently  to  be  seen.  Indeed,  the  maidens  of  the  island 
were  passionately  fond  of  flowers,  and  never  wearied  of  decorating 
their  persons  with  them  ;  a  lovely  trait  in  their  character,  and  one 
that  ere  long  will  be  more  fully  alluded  to. 

Though  in  my  eyes,  at  least,  Fayaway  was  indisputably  the 
loveliest  female  I  saw  in  Typee,  yet  the  description  I  have  given 
of  her  will  in  some  measure  apply  to  nearly  all  the  youthful  por 
tion  of  her  sex  in  the  valley.  Judge  ye  then,  reader,  what  beauti 
ful  creatures  they  must  have  been. 


CHAP,  xii.]  OFFICIOUSNESS  OF  KORY-KORY.  Ill 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Officiousnesg  of  Kory-Kory — His  Devotion — A  Bath  in  the  Stream — Wanl 
of  Refinement  of  the  Typee  Damsels — Stroll  with  Mehevi — A  Typee 
Highway—The  Taboo  Groves— The  Hoolah  Hoolah  Ground— The  Ti— 
Time-worn  Savages — Hospitality  of  Mehevi — Midnight  Musings — Ad 
venture  in  the  Dark — Distinguished  Honors  paid  to  the  Visitors — Strange 
Procession  and  Return  to  the  House  of  Marheyo. 

WHEN  Mehevi  had  departed  from  the  house,  as  related  in  the 
preceding  chapter,  Kory-Kory  commenced  the  functions  of  the 
post  assigned  him.  He  brought  us  various  kinds  of  food ;  and, 
as  if  I  were  an  infant,  insisted  upon  feeding  me  with  his  own 
hands.  To  this  procedure  I,  of  course,  most  earnestly  objected, 
but  in  vain ;  and  having  laid  a  calabash  of  kokoo  before  me,  he 
washed  his  fingers  in  a  vessel  of  water,  and  then  putting  his  hand 
into  the  dish  and  rolling  the  food  into  little  balls,  put  them  one 
after  another  into  my  mouth.  All  my  remonstrances  against  this 
measure  only  provoked  so  great  a  clamor  on  his  part,  that  I  was 
obliged  to  acquiesce ;  and  the  operation  of  feeding  being  thus  fa 
cilitated,  the  meal  was  quickly  despatched.  As  for  Toby,  he  was 
allowed  to  help  himself  after  his  own  fashion. 

The  repast  over,  my  attendant  arranged  the  mats  for  repose, 
and,  bidding  me  lie  down,  covered  me  with  a  large  robe  of  tappa, 
at  the  same  time  looking  approvingly  upon  me,  and  exclaiming, 
"  Ki-Ki,  muee  muee,  ah  !  moee  moee  mortarkee  "  (eat  plenty,  ah ! 
sleep  very  good).  The  philosophy  of  this  sentiment  I  did  not 
pretend  to  question ;  for  deprived  of  sleep  for.  several  preceding 


112  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xn. 

nights,  and  the  pain  in  my  limb  having  much  abated,  I  now  felt 
inclined,  to  avail  myself  of  the  opportunity  afforded  me. 

The  next  morning,  on  waking,  I  found  Kory-Kory  stretched 
out  on  one  side  of  me,  while  my  companion  lay  upon  the  other. 
I  felt  sensibly  refreshed  after  a  night  of  sound  repose,  and  imme 
diately  agreed  to  the  proposition  of  my  valet  that  I  should  repair 
to  the  water  and  wash,  although  dreading  the  suffering  that  the 
exertion  might  produce.  From  this  apprehension,  however,  I 
was  quickly  relieved ;  for  Kory-Kory,  leaping  from  the  pi-pi,  and 
then  backing  himself  up  against  it,  like  a  porter  in  readiness  to 
shoulder  a  trunk,  with  loud  vociferations  and  a  superabundance 
of  gestures,  gave  me  to  understand  that  I  was  to  mount  upon  his 
back  and  be  thus  transported  to  the  stream,  which  flowed  perhaps 
two  hundred  yards  from  the  house. 

Our  appearance  upon  the  verandah  in  front  of  the  habitation 
drew  together  quite  a  crowd,  who  stood  looking  on  and  conversing 
with  one  another  in  the  most  animated  manner.  They  reminded 
one  of  a  group  of  idlers  gathered  about  the  door  of  a  village 
tavern  when  the  equipage  of  some  distinguished  traveller  is  brought 
round  previous  to  his  departure.  As  soon  as  I  clasped  my  arms 
about  the  neck  of  the  devoted  fellow,  and  he  jogged  off  with  me, 
the  crowd — composed  chiefly  of  young  girls  and  boys — followed 
after,  shouting  and  capering  with  infinite  glee,  and  accompanied 
us  to  the  banks  of  the  stream. 

On  gaining  it,  Kory-Kory,  wading  up  to  his  hips  in  the  water, 
carried  me  half  way  across,  and  deposited  me  on  a  smooth  black 
stone  which  rose  a  few  inches  above  the  surface.  The  amphibi 
ous  rabble  at  our  heels  plunged  in  after  us,  and,  climbing  to  the 
summit  of  the  grass-grown  rocks  with  which  the  bed  of  the  brook 
was  here  and  there  broken,  waited  curiously  to  witness  our  morn 
ing  ablutions. 

Somewhat  embarrassed  by  the  presence  of  the  female  portion 
of  the  company,  and  feeling  my  cheeks  burning  with  bashful 


CHAP,  xii.]  A  BATH  IN  THE  STREAM.  113 

timidity,  I  formed  a  primitive  basin  by  joining  my  hands  together, 
and  cooled  my  blushes  in  the  water  it  contained ;  then  removing 
my  frock,  bent  over  and  washed  myself  down  to  my  waist  in  the 
stream.  As  soon  as  Kory-Kory  comprehended  from  my  motions 
that  this  was  to  be  the  extent  of  my  performance,  he  appeared 
perfectly  aghast  with  astonishment,  and  rushing  towards  me, 
poured  out  a  torrent  of  words  in  eager  deprecation  of  so  limited 
an  operation,  enjoining  me  by  unmistakeable  signs  to  immerse  my 
whole  body.  To  this  I  was  forced  to  consent ;  and  the  honest 
fellow  regarding  me  as  a  froward,  inexperienced  child,  whom  it 
was  his  duty  to  serve  at  the  risk  of  offending,  lifted  me  from  the 
rock,  and  tenderly  bathed  my  limbs.  This  over,  and  resuming 
my  seat,  I  could  not  avoid  bursting  into  admiration  of  the  scene 
around  me. 

From  the  verdant  surfaces  of  the  large  stones  that  lay  scattered 
about,  the  natives  were  now  sliding  off  into  the  water,  diving  and 
ducking  beneath  the  surface  in  all  directions ;  the  young  girls 
springing  buoyantly  into  the  air,  and  revealing  their  naked  forms 
to  the  waist,  with  their  long  tresses  dancing  about  their  shoulders, 
their  eyes  sparkling  like  drops  of  dew  in  the  sun,  and  their  gay 
laughter  pealing  forth  at  every  frolicsome  incident. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  day  that  I  took  my  first  bath  in  the 
valley,  we  received  another  visit  from  Mehevi.  The  noble  savage 
seemed  to  be  in  the  same  pleasant  mood,  and  was  quite  as  cordial 
in  his  manner  as  before.  After  remaining  about  an  hour,  he  rose 
from  the  mats,  and  motioning  to  leave  the  house,  invited  Toby 
and  myself  to  accompany  him.  I  pointed  to  my  leg  ;  but  Mehevi 
in  his  turn  pointed  to  Kory-Kory,  and  removed  that  objection ;  so, 
mounting  upon  the  faithful  fellow's  shoulders  again — like  the  old 
man  of  the  sea  astride  of  Sindbad — I  followed  after  the  chief. 

The  nature  of  the  route  we  now  pursued  struck  me  more 
forcibly  than  anything  I  had  yet  seen,  as  illustrating  the  indolent 
disposition  of  the  islanders.  The  path  was  obviously  the  most 


114  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xii. 

beaten  one  in  the  valley,  several  others  leading  from  either  side 
into  it,  and  perhaps  for  successive  generations  it  had  formed  the 
principal  avenue  of  the  place.  And  yet,  until  I  grew  more  fami 
liar  with  its  impediments,  it  seemed  as  difficult  to  travel  as  the 
recesses  of  a  wilderness.  Part  of  it  swept  around  an  abrupt  rise 
of  ground,  the  surface  of  which  was  broken  by  frequent  inequa 
lities,  and  thickly  strewn  with  projecting  masses  of  rocks,  whose 
summits  were  often  hidden  from  view  by  the  drooping  foliage  of 
the  luxurious  vegetation.  Sometimes  directly  over,  sometimes 
evading  these  obstacles  with  a  wide  circuit,  the  path  wound 
along ; — one  moment  climbing  over  a  sudden  eminence  smooth 
with  continued  wear,  then  descending  on  the  other  side  into  a 
steep  glen,  and  crossing  the  flinty  channel  of  a  brook.  Here  it 
pursued  the  depths  of  a  glade,  occasionally  obliging  you  to  stoop 
beneath  vast  horizontal  branches  ;  and  now  you  stepped  over 
huge  trunks  and  boughs  that  lay  rotting  across  the  track. 

Such  was  the  grand  thoroughfare  of  Typee.  After  proceeding 
a  little  distance  along  it — Kory-Kory  panting  and  blowing  with 
the  weight  of  his  burden — I  dismounted  from  his  back,  and 
grasping  the  long  spear  of  Mehevi  in  my  hand,  assisted  my  steps 
over  the  numerous  obstacles  of  the  road ;  preferring  this  mode  of 
advance  to  one  which,  from  the  difficulties  of  the  way,  was  equally 
painful  to  myself  and  my  wearied  servitor. 

Our  journey  was  soon  at  an  end  ;  for,  scaling  a  sudden  height, 
we  came  abruptly  upon  the  place  of  our  destination.  I  wish  that 
it  were  possible  to  sketch  in  words  this  spot  as  vividly  as  I  recol 
lect  it. 

Here  were  situated  the  Taboo  groves  of  the  valley — the  scene 
of  many  a  prolonged  feast,  of  many  a  horrid  rite.  Beneath  the 
dark  shadows  of  the  consecrated  bread-fruit  trees  there  reigned  a 
solemn  twilight — a  cathedral-like  gloom.  The  frightful  genius 
of  pagan  worship  seemed  to  brood  in  silence  over  the  place, 
breathing  its  spell  upon  every  object  around.  Here  and  there, 


CHAP,  xn]  THE  "HOOLAH  HOOLAH."  115 

in  the  depths  of  these  awful  shades,  half  screened  from  sight  by 
masses  of  overhanging  foliage,  rose  the  idolatrous  altars  of  the 
savages,  built  of  enormous  blocks  of  black  and  polished  stone, 
placed  one  upon  another,  without  cement,  to  the  height  of  twelve 
or  fifteen  feet,  and  surmounted  by  a  rustic  open  temple,  enclosed 
with  a  low  picket  of  canes,  within  which  might  be  seen,  in  various 
stages  of  decay,  offerings  of  bread-fruit  and  cocoa-nuts,  and  the 
putrefying  relics  of  some  recent  sacrifice. 

In  the  midst  of  the  wood  was  the  hallowed  "  hoolah  hoolah" 
ground — set  apart  for  the  celebration  of  the  fantasfroal  religious 
ritual  of  these  people — comprising  an  extensive  oblong  pi-pi, 
terminating  at  either  end  in  a  lofty  terraced  altar,  guarded  by 
ranks  of  hideous  wooden  idols,  and  with  the  two  remaining  sides 
flanked  by  ranges  of  bamboo  sheds,  opening  towards  the  interior 
of  the  quadrangle  thus  formed.  Vast  trees,  standing  in  the  middle 
of  this  space,  and  throwing  over  it  an  umbrageous  shade,  had 
their  massive  trunks  built  round  with  slight  stages,  elevated  a 
few  feet  above  the  ground,  and  railed  in  with  canes,  forming  so 
many  rustic  pulpits,  from  which  the  priests  harangued  their 
devotees. 

This  holiest  of  spots  was  defended  from  profanation  by  the 
strictest  edicts  of  the  all-pervading  "  taboo,"  which  condemned  to 
instant  death  the  sacrilegious  female  who  should  enter  or  touch 
its  sacred  precincts,  or  even  so  much  as  press  with  her  feet  the 
ground  made  holy  by  the  shadows  that  it  cast. 

Access  was  had  to  the  enclosure  through  an  embowered  en 
trance  on  one  side,  facing  a  number  of  towering  cocoa-nut  trees, 
planted  at  intervals  along  a  level  area  of  a  hundred  yards.  At 
the  further  extremity  of  this  space  was  to  be  seen  a  building  of 
considerable  size,  reserved  for  the  habitation  of  the  priests  and 
religious  attendants  of  the  groves. 

In  its  vicinity  was  another  remarkable  edifice,  built  as  usual 
upon  the  summit  of  a  pi-pi,  and  at  least  two  hundred  feet  in 


116  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xn. 

length,  though  not  more  than  twenty  in  breadth.  The  whole 
front  of  this  latter  structure  was  completely  open,  and  from  one 
end  to  the  other  ran  a  narrow  verandah,  fenced  in  on  the  edge  of 
the  pi-pi  with  a  picket  of  canes.  Its  interior  presented  the  ap 
pearance  of  an  immense  lounging  place,  the  entire  floor  being 
strewn  with  successive  layers  of  mats,  lying  between  parallel 
trunks  of  cocoa-nut  trees,  selected  for  the  purpose  from  the 
straightest  and  most  symmetrical  the  vale  afforded. 

To  this  building,  denominated  in  the  language  of  the  natives 
the  "  Ti,"  Mehevi  now  conducted  us.  Thus  far  we  had  been 
accompanied  by  a  troop  of  the  natives  of  both  sexes ;  but  as  soon 
as  we  approached  its  vicinity,  the  females  gradually  separated 
themselves  from  the  crowd,  and  standing  aloof,  permitted  us  to 
pass  on.  The  merciless  prohibitions  of  the  taboo  extended  like 
wise  to  this  edifice,  and  were  enforced  by  the  same  dreadful 
penalty  that  secured  the  Hoolah  Hoolah  ground  from  the  imagi 
nary  pollution  of  a  woman's  presence. 

On  entering  the  house,  1  was  surprised  to  see  six  muskets 
ranged  against  the  bamboo  on  one  side,  from  the  barrels  of  which 
depended  as  many  small  canvas  pouches,  partly  filled  with  powder. 
Disposed  about  these  muskets,  like  the  cutlasses  that  decorate  the 
bulkhead  of  a  man-of-war's  cabin,  were  a  great  variety  of  rude 
spears  and  paddles,  javelins,  and  war-clubs.  This  then,  said  I  to 
Toby,  must  be  the  armory  of  the  tribe. 

As  we  advanced  further  along  the  building,  we  were  struck 
with  the  aspect  of  four  or  five  hideous  old  wretches,  on  whose 
decrepid  forms  time  and  tattooing  seemed  to  have  obliterated 
every  trace  of  humanity.  Owing  to  the  continued  operation  of 
this  latter  process,  which  only  terminates  among  the  warriors  of 
the  island  after  all  the  figures  stretched  upon  their  limbs  in 
youth  have  been  blended  together — an  effect,  however,  produced 
only  in  cases  of  extreme  longevity — the  bodies  of  these  men 
were  of  a  uniform  dull  green  color — the  hue  which  the  tattooing 


CHAP,  xii.]  TIME-WORN  SAVAGES.  117 

gradually  assumes  as  the  individual  advances  in  age.  Their  skin 
had  a  frightful  scaly  appearance,  which,  united  with  its  singular 
color,  made  their  limbs  not  a  little  resemble  dusty  specimens  of 
verde-antique.  Their  flesh,  in  parts,  hung  upon  them  in  huge 
folds,  like  the  overlapping  plaits  on  the  flank  of  a  rhinoceros. 
Their  heads  were  completely  bald,  whilst  their  faces  were 
puckered  into  a  thousand  wrinkles,  and  they  presented  no  vestige 
of  a  beard.  But  the  most  remarkable  peculiarity  about  them 
was  the  appearance  of  their  feet ;  the  toes,  like  the  radiating  lines 
of  the  mariner's  compass,  pointed  to  every  quarter  of  the  horizon. 
This  was  doubtless  attributable  to  the  fact,  that  during  nearly  a 
hundred  years  of  existence  the  said  toes  never  had  been  subjected 
to  any  artificial  confinement,  and  in  their  old  age,  being  averse  to 
close  neighborhood,  bid  one  another  keep  open  order. 

These  repulsive-looking  creatures  appeared  to  have  lost  the 
use  of  their  lower  limbs  altogether  ;  sitting  upon  the  floor  cross- 
legged  in  a  state  of  torpor.  They  never  heeded  us  in  the  least, 
scarcely  looking  conscious  of  our  presence,  while  Mehevi  seated 
us  upon  the  mats,  and  Kory-Kory  gave  utterance  to  some  unin 
telligible  gibberish. 

In  a  few  moments  a  boy  entered  with  a  wooden  trencher  of 
poee-poee ;  and  in  regaling  myself  with  its  contents  I  was  obliged 
again  to  submit  to  the  officious  intervention  of  my  indefatigable 
servitor.  Various  other  dishes  followed,  the  chief  manifesting 
the  most  hospitable  importunity  in  pressing  us  to  partake,  and  to 
remove  all  bashfulness  on  our  part,  set  us  no  despicable  example 
in  his  own  person. 

The  repast  concluded,  a  pipe  was  lighted,  which  passed  from 
mouth  to  mouth,  and  yielding  to  its  soporific  influence,  the  quiet  of  the 
place,  and  the  deepening  shadows  of  approaching  night,  my  com 
panion  and  I  sank  into  a  kind  of  drowsy  repose,  while  the  chief 
and  Kory-Kory  seemed  to  be  slumbering  beside  us. 

I  awoke  from  an  uneasy  nap,  about  midnight,  as  I  supposed  ; 


118  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xii. 

and,  raising  myself  partly  from  the  mat,  became  sensible  that  we 
were  enveloped  in  utter  darkness.  Toby  lay  still  asleep,  but  our 
late  companions  had  disappeared.  The  only  sound  that  inter 
rupted  the  silence  of  the  place  was  the  asthmatic  breathing  of  the 
old  men  I  have  mentioned,  who  reposed  at  a  little  distance  from 
us.  Besides  them,  as  well  as  I  could  judge,  there  was  no  one  else 
in  the  house. 

Apprehensive  of  some  evil,  I  roused  my  comrade,  and  we  were 
engaged  in  a  whispered  conference  concerning  the  unexpected 
withdrawal  of  the  natives,  when  all  at  once,  from  the  depths  of 
the  grove,  in  full  view  of  us  where  we  lay,  shoots  of  flame  were 
seen  to  rise,  and  in  a  few  moments  illuminated  the  surrounding 
trees,  casting,  by  contrast,  into  still  deeper  gloom  the  darkness 
around  us. 

While  we  continued  ga.zing  at  this  sight,  dark  figures  appeared 
moving  to  and  fro  before  the  flames ;  while  others,  dancing  and 
capering  about,  looked  like  so  many  demons. 

Regarding  this  new  phenomenon  with  no  small  degree  of  tre 
pidation,  I  said  to  my  companion,  "  What  can  all  this  mean, 
Toby  ?" 

"  Oh,  nothing,"  replied  he;  "  getting  the  fire  ready,  I  suppose." 

"  Fire  !"  exclaimed  I,  while  my  heart  took  to  beating  like  a 
trip-hammer,  "  what  fire  ?" 

"  Why,  the  fire  to  cook  us,  to  be  sure ;  what  else  would  the 
cannibals  be  kicking  up  such  a  row  about  if  it  were  not  for  that  ?" 

11  Oh,  Toby  !  have  done  with  your  jokes ;  this  is  no  time  for 
them  ;  something  is  about  to  happen,  I  feel  confident." 

"  Jokes,  indeed !"  exclaimed  Toby  indignantly.  "  Did  you 
ever  hear  me  joke  ?  Why,  for  what  do  you  suppose  the  devils 
have  been  feeding  us  up  in  this  kind  of  style  during  the  last  three 
days,  unless  it  were  for  something  that  you  are  too  much  fright 
ened  at  to  talk  about  ?  Look  at  that  Kory-Kory  there  ! — has  he 
not  been  stuffing  you  with  his  confounded  mushes,  just  in  the  way 


CHAP,  xii.]  EXAGGERATED  FEARS.  119 

they  treat  swine  before  they  kill  them  ?  Depend  upon  it,  we 
will  be  eaten  this  blessed  night,  and  there  is  the  fire  we  shall  be 
roasted  by.'* 

This  view  of  the  matter  was  not  at  all  calculated  to  allay  my 
apprehensions,  and  I  shuddered  when  I  reflected  that  we  were 
indeed  at  the  mercy  of  a  tribe  of  cannibals,  and  that  the  dreadful 
contingency  to  which  Toby  had  alluded  was  by  no  means  removed 
beyond  the  bounds  of  possibility. 

''  There !  I  told  you  so !  they  are  coming  for  us !"  exclaimed 
my  companion  the  next  moment,  as  the  forms  of  four  of  the 
islanders  were  seen  in  bold  relief  against  the  illuminated  back 
ground,  mounting  the  pi-pi  and  approaching  towards  us. 

They  came  on  noiselessly,  nay  stealthily,  and  glided  along 
through  the  gloom  that  surrounded  us  as  if  about  to  spring  upon 
some  object  they  were  fearful  of  disturbing  before  they  should 
make  sure  of  it. — Gracious  heaven !  the  horrible  reflections 
which  crowded  upon  me  that  moment. — A  cold  sweat  stood  upon 
my  brow,  and  spell-bound  with  terror  I  awaited  my  fate ! 

Suddenly  the  silence  was  broken  by  the  well-remembered  tones 
of  Mehevi,  and  at  the  kindly  accents  of  his  voice  my  fears  were 
immediately  dissipated.  "  Tommo,  Toby,  ki  ki !"  (eat).  He  had 
waited  to  address  us,  until  he  had  assured  himself  that  we  were 
both  awake,  at  which  he  seemed  somewhat  surprised. 

"  Ki  ki !  is  it  ?"  said  Toby  in  his  gruff  tones  ;  "  well,  cook  us 
first,  will  you — but  what 's  this  ?"  he  added,  as  another  savage 
appeared,  bearing  before  him  a  large  trencher  of  wood,  contain 
ing  some  kind  of  steaming  meat,  as  appeared  from  the  odors  it 
diffused,  and  which  he  deposited  at  the  feet  of  Mehevi.  "  A  baked 
baby,  I  dare  say !  but  I  will  have  none  of  it,  never  mind  what  it 
is. — A  pretty  fool  I  should  make  of  myself,  indeed,  waked  up 
here  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  stuffing  and  guzzling,  and  all  to 
make  a  fat  meal  for  a  parcel  of  booby-minded  cannibals  one  of 
these  mornings ! — No,  I  see  what  they  are  at  very  plainly,  so  I 


1*20  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.          [CHAP.  xn. 

am  resolved  to  starve  myself  into  a  bunch  of  bones  and  gristle, 
and  then,  if  they  serve  me  up,  they  are  welcome !  But  I  say, 
Tommo,  you  are  not  going  to  eat  any  of  that  mess  there,  in  the 
dark,  are  you  ?  Why,  how  can  you  tell  what  it  is  ?" 

"  By  tasting  it,  to  be  sure,"  said  I,  masticating  a  morsel  that 
Kory-Kory  had  just  put  in  my  mouth ;  "  and  excellently  good  it 
is,  too,  very  much  like  veal." 

"  A  baked  baby,  by  the  soul  of  Captain  Cook !"  burst  forth 
Toby,  with  amazing  vehemence  ;  "  Veal :  why  there  never  was 
a  calf  on  the  island  till  you  landed.  I  tell  you  you  are  bolting 
down  mouthfuls  from  a  dead  Happar's  carcass,  as  sure  as  you 
live,  and  no  mistake!" 

Emetics  and  lukewarm  water  !  What  a  sensation  in  the  abdo 
minal  regions !  Sure  enough,  where  could  the  fiends  incarnate 
have  obtained  meat?  But  I  resolved  to  satisfy  myself  at  all 
hazards;  and  turning  to  Mehevi,  I  soon  made  the  ready  chief  un 
derstand  that  I  wished  a  light  to  be  brought.  When  the  taper 
came,  I  gazed  eagerly  into  the  vessel,  and  recognized  the  muti 
lated  remains  of  a  juvenile  porker !  "  Puarkee  !"  exclaimed 
Kory-Kory,  looking  complacently  at  the  dish ;  and  from  that  day 
to  this  I  have  never  forgotten  that  such  is  the  designation  of  a  pig 
in  the  Typee  lingo. 

The  next  morning,  after  being  again  abundantly  feasted  by  the 
hospitable  Mehevi,  Toby  and  myself  arose  to  depart.  But  the 
chief  requested  us  to  postpone  our  intention.  "  Abo,  abo"  (Wait, 
wait),  he  said,  and  accordingly  we  resumed  our  seats,  while, 
assisted  by  the  zealous  Kory-Kory,  he  appeared  to  be  engaged  in 
giving  directions  to  a  number  of  the  natives  outside,  who  were 
busily  employed  in  making  arrangements,  the  nature  of  which 
we  could  not  comprehend.  But  we  were  not  left  long  in  our  igno 
rance,  for  a  few  moments  only  had  elapsed,  when  the  chief 
beckoned  us  to  approach,  and  we  perceived  that  he  had  been  mi 


CHAP,  xii.]  GUARD  OF  HONOR.  121 

shalling  a  kind  of  guard  of  honor  to  escort  us  on  our  return  to  the 
house  of  Marheyo. 

The  procession  was  led  off  by  two  venerable-looking  savages, 
each  provided  with  a  spear,  from  the  end  of  which  streamed  a 
pennon  of  milk-white  tappa.  After  them  went  several  youths, 
bearing  aloft  calabashes  of  poee-poee ;  and  followed  in  their  turn 
by  four  stalwart  fellows,  sustaining  long  bamboos,  from  the  tops 
of  which  hung  suspended,  at  least  twenty  feet  from  the  ground, 
large  baskets  of  green  bread-fruit.  Then  came  a  troop  of  boys, 
carrying  bunches  of  ripe  bananas,  and  baskets  made  of  the 
woven  leaflets  of  cocoa-nut  boughs,  filled  with  the  young  fruit  of 
the  tree,  the  naked  shells  stripped  of  their  husks  peeping  forth 
from  the  verdant  wicker-work  that  surrounded  them.  Last  of  all 
came  a  burly  islander,  holding  over  his  head  a  wooden  trencher, 
in  which  lay  disposed  the  remnants  of  our  midnight  feasts,  hidden 
from  view,  however,  by  a  covering  of  bread-fruit  leaves. 

Astonished  as  I  was  at  this  exhibition,  I  could  not  avoid  smiling 
at  its  grotesque  appearance,  and  the  associations  it  naturally 
called  up.  Mehevi,  it  seemed,  was  bent  on  replenishing  old  Mar- 
heyo's  larder,  fearful  perhaps  that  without  this  precaution  his 
guests  might  not  fare  as  well  as  they  could  desire. 

As  soon  as  I  descended  from  the  pi-pi,  the  procession  formed 
anew,  enclosing  us  in  its  centre  ;  where  I  remained  part  of  the 
time,  carried  by  Kory-Kory,  ancl  occasionally  relieving  him  from 
his  burden  by  limping  along  with  a  spear.  When  we  moved  off 
in  this  order,  the  natives  struck  up  a  musical  recitative,  which, 
with  various  alternations,  they  continued  until  we  arrived  at  the 
place  of  our  destination. 

As  we  proceeded  on  our  way,  bands  of  young  girls,  darting 
from  the  surrounding  groves,  hung  upon  our  skirts,  and  accom 
panied  us  with  shouts  of  merriment  and  delight,  which  almost 
drowned  the  deep  notes  of  the  recitative.  On  approaching  old 
Marheyo's  domicile,  its  inmates  rushed  out  to  receive  us;  and 

7 


122  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.          [CHAP.  xn. 


while  the  gifts  of  Mehevi  were  being  disposed  of,  the  superan 
nuated  warrior  did  the  honors  of  his  mansion  with  all  the  warmth 
of  hospitality  evinced  by  an  English  squire  when  he  regales  his 
friends  at  some  fine  old  patrimonial  mansion. 


CHAP,  xin.]  SURGICAL  RELIEF  WANTED.  123 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Attempt  to  procure  relief  from  Nukuheva — Perilous  Adventure  of  Toby 
in  the.  Happar  Mountains — Eloquence  of  Kory-Kory. 

AMIDST  these  novel  scenes  a  week  passed  away  almost  impercep 
tibly.  The  natives,  actuated  by  some  "mysterious  impulse,  day 
after  day  redoubled  their  attentions  to  us.  Their  manner  towards 
us  was  unaccountable.  Surely,  thought  I,  they  would  not  act 
thus  if  they  meant  us  any  harm.  But  why  this  excess  of  defe 
rential  kindness,  or  what  equivalent  can  they  imagine  us  capable 
of  rendering  them  for  it  ? 

We  were  fairly  puzzled.  But  despite  the  apprehensions  I  could 
not  dispel,  the  horrible  character  imputed  to  these  Typees  ap 
peared  to  be  wholly  undeserved. 

"  Why,  they  are  cannibals  !"  said  Toby  on  one  occasion  when 
I  eulogised  the  tribe.  "  Granted,"  1  replied,  "  but  a  more  hu 
mane,  gentlemanly,  and  amiable  set  of  epicures  do  not  probably 
exist  in  the  Pacific." 

But,  notwithstanding  the  kind  treatment  we  received,  I  was  too 
familiar  with  the  fickle  disposition  of  savages  not  to  feel  anxious 
to  withdraw  from  the  valley,  and  put  myself  beyond  the  reach  of 
that  fearful  death  which,  under  all  these  smiling  appearances, 
might  yet  menace  us.  But  here  there  was  an  obstacle  in  the  way 
of  doing  so.  It  was  idle  for  me  to  think  of  moving  from  the 
place  until  I  should  have  recovered  from  the  severe  lameness  that 
afflicted  me ;  indeed  my  malady  began  seriously  to  alarm  me  ; 
for,  despite  the  herbal  remedies  of  the  natives,  it  continued  to 
grow  worse  and  worse.  Their  mild  applications,  though  they 
soothed  the  pain,  did  not  remove  the  disorder,  and  I  felt  con- 


124  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.         [CHAP.  xm. 

vinced  that  without  better  aid  I  might  anticipate  long  and  acute 
suffering. 

But  how  was  this  aid  to  be  procured  ?  From  the  surgeons  of 
the  French  fleet,  which  probably  still  lay  in  the  bay  of  Nuku- 
heva,  it  might  easily  have  been  obtained,  could  I  have  made  my 
case  known  to  them.  But  how  could  that  be  effected  ? 

At  last,  in  the  exigency  to  which  I  was  reduced,  I  proposed  to 
Toby  that  he  should  endeavor  to  go  round  to  Nukuheva,  and  if  he 
could  not  succeed  in  returning  to  the  valley  by  water,  in  one 
of  the  boats  of  the  squadron,  and  taking  me  off,  he  might  at 
least  procure  me  some  proper  medicines,  and  effect  his  return 
overland. 

My  companion  listened  to  me  in  silence,  and  at  first  did  not 
appear  to  relish  the  idea.  The  truth  was,  he  felt  impatient  to 
escape  from  the  place,  and  wished  to  avail  himself  of  our  present 
high  favor  with  the  natives  to  make  good  our  retreat,  before 
we  should  experience  some  sudden  alteration  in  their  behavior. 
As  he  could  not  think  of  leaving  me  in  my  helpless  condition,  he 
implored  me  to  be  of  good  cheer  ;  assured  me  that  I  should  soon 
be  better,  and  enabled  in  a  few  days  to  return  with  him  to  Nu 
kuheva. 

Added  to  this,  he  could  not  bear  the  idea  of  again  returning  to 
this  dangerous  place  ;  and  as  for  the  expectation  of  persuading  the 
Frenchmen  to  detach  a  boat's  crew  for  the  purpose  of  rescuing 
me  from  the  Typees,  he  looked  upon  it  as  idle  ;  and  with  argu 
ments  that  I  could  not  answer,  urged  the  improbability  of  their 
provoking  the  hostilities  of  the  clan  by  any  such  measure  ;  espe 
cially,  as  for  the  purpose  of  quieting  its  apprehensions,  they  had 
as  yet  refrained  from  making  any  visit  to  the  bay.  "  And  even 
should  they  consent,"  said  Toby,  "  they  would  only  produce  a 
commotion  in  the  valley,  in  which  we  might  both  be  sacrificed  by 
these  ferocious  islanders."  This  was  unanswerable  ;  but  still  I 
clung  to  the  belief  that  he  might  succeed  in  accomplishing  the 


CHAP.  XIIL]  THE  DEPARTURE  OF  TOBY.  125 

other  part  of  my  plan  ;  and  at  last  I  overcame  his  scruples,  and 
he  agreed  to  make  the  attempt. 

As  soon  as  we  succeeded  in  making  the  natives  understand  our 
intention,  they  broke  out  into  the  most  vehement  opposition  to  the 
measure,  and  for  a  while  I  almost  despaired  of  obtaining  their 
consent.  At  the  bare  thought  of  one  of  us  leaving  them,  they 
manifested  the  most  lively  concern.  The  grief  and  consternation 
of  Kory-Kory,  in  particular,  was  unbounded  ;  he  threw  himself 
into  a  perfect  paroxysm  of  gestures,  which  were  intended  to  con 
vey  to  us  not  only  his  abhorrence  of  -Nukuheva  and  its  uncivil 
ized  inhabitants,  but  also  his  astonishment  that  after  becoming 
acquainted  with  the  enlightened  Typees,  we  should  evince  the 
least  desire  to  withdraw,  even  for  a  time,  from  their  agreeable 
society. 

However,  I  overbore  his  objections  by  appealing  to  my  lame 
ness  ;  from  which  I  assured  the  natives  I  should  speedily  recover, 
if  Toby  were  permitted  to  obtain  the  supplies  I  needed. 

It  was  agreed  that  on  the  following  morning  my  companion 
should  depart,  accompanied  by  some  one  or  two  of  the  household, 
who  should  point  out  to  him  an  easy  route,  by  which  the  bay  might 
be  reached  before  sunset. 

At  early  dawn  of  the  next  day,  our  habitation  was  astir.  One 
of  the  young  men  mounted  into  an  adjoining  cocoa-nut  tree,  and 
threw  down  a  number  of  the  young  fruit,  which  old  Marheyo 
quickly  stripped  of  the  green  husks,  and  strung  together  upon  a 
short  pole.  These  were  intended  to  refresh  Toby  on  his  route. 

The  preparations  being  completed,  with  no  little  emotion  I 
bade  my  companion  adieu.  He  promised  to  return  in  three  days 
at  farthest ;  and,  bidding  me  keep  up  my  spirits  in  the  interval, 
turned  rouad  the  corner  of  the  pi-pi,  and,  under  the  guidance  of 
the  venerable  Marheyo,  was  soon  out  of  sight.  His  departure 
oppressed  me  with  melancholy,  and,  re-entering  the  dwelling,  I 
threw  myself  almost  in  despair  upon  the  matting  of  the  floor. 


126  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.         [CHAP.  xm. 

In  two  hours'  time  the  old  warrior  returned,  and  gave  me  to 
understand  that  after  accompanying  my  companion  a  little  dis 
tance,  and  showing  him  the  route,  he  had  left  him  journeying  on 
his  way. 

It  was  about  noon  of  this  same  day,  a  season  which  these  people 
are  wont  to  pass  in  sleep,  that  I  lay  in  the  house,  surrounded  by 
its  slumbering  inmates,  and  painfully  affected  by  the  strange 
silence  which  prevailed.  All  at  once  I  thought  I  heard  a  faint 
shout,  as  if  proceeding  from  some  persons  in  the  depth  of  the 
grove  which  extended  in  front  of  our  habitation. 

The  sounds  grew  louder  and  nearer,  and  gradually  the  whole 
valley  rang  with  wild  outcries.  The  sleepers  around  me  started 
to  their  feet  in  alarm,  and  hurried  outside  to  discover  the  cause 
of  the  commotion.  Kory-Kory,  who  had  been  the  first  to  spring 
up,  soon  returned  almost  breathless,  and  nearly  frantic  with  the 
excitement  under  which  he  seemed  to  be  laboring.  All  that  I 
could  understand  from  him  was  that  some  accident  had  happened 
to  Toby.  Apprehensive  of  some  dreadful  calamity,  I  rushed  out 
of  the  house,  and  caught  sight  of  a  tumultuous  crowd,  who,  with 
shrieks  and  lamentations,  were  just  emerging  from  the  grove  bear- 
ing  in  their  arms  some  object,  the  sight  of  which  produced  all  this 
transport  of  sorrow.  As  they  drew  near,  the  men  redoubled  their 
cries,  while  the  girls,  tossing  their  bare  arms  in  the  air,  exclaimed 
plaintively,  "  Awha  !  awha  !  Toby  muckee  moee  !" — Alas  !  alas 
Toby  is  killed  ! 

In  a  moment  the  crowd  opened,  and  disclosed  the  apparently 
lifeless  body  of  my  companion  borne  between  two  men,  the  head 
hanging  heavily  against  the  breast  of  the  foremost.  The  whole 
face,  neck,  and  bosom  were  covered  with  blood,  which  still  trickled 
slowly  from  a  wound  behind  the  temple.  In  the  midst  of  the 
greatest  uproar  and  confusion  the  body  was  carried  into  the  house 
and  laid  on  a  mat.  Waving  the  natives  off  to  give  room  arid  air, 
I  bent  eagerly  over  Toby,  and,  laying  my  hand  upon  the  breast, 


CHAP,  xm.]  TOBY  ATTACKED  BY  HAPPARS.  127 



ascertained  that  the  heart  still  beat.  Overjoyed  at  this,  I  seized 
a  calabash  of  water,  and  dashed  its  contents  upon  his  face,  then 
wiping  away  the  blood,  anxiously  examined  the  wound.  It  was 
about  three  inches  long,  and  on  removing  the  clotted  hair  from 
about  it,  showed  the  skull  laid  completely  bare.  Immediately 
with  my  knife  I  cut  away  the  heavy  locks,  and  bathed  the  part 
repeatedly  in  water. 

In  a  few  moments  Toby  revived,  and  opening  his  eyes  for  a 
second,  closed  them  again  without  speaking.  Kory-Kory,  who 
had  been  kneeling  beside  me,  now  chafed  his  limbs  gently  with 
the  palms  of  his  hands,  while  a  young  girl  at  his  head  kept  fanning 
him,- and  I  still  continued  to  moisten  his  lips  and  brow.  Soon  my 
poor  comrade  showed  signs  of  animation,  and  I  succeeded  in  making 
him  swallow  from  a  cocoa-nut  shell  a  few  mouthfuls  of  water. 

Old  Tinor  now  appeared,  holding  in  her  hand  some  simples 
she  had  gathered,  the  juice  of  which  she  by  signs  besought  me 
to  squeeze  into  the  wound.  Having  done  so,  I  thought  it  best  to 
leave  Toby  undisturbed  until  he  should  have  had  time  to  rally 
his  faculties.  Several  times  he  opened  his  lips,  but  fearful  for 
his  safety  I  enjoined  silence.  In  the  course  of  two  or  three  hours, 
however,  he  sat  up,  and  was  sufficiently  recovered  to  tell  me 
what  had  occurred. 

"  After  leaving  the  house  with  Marheyo,"  said  Toby,  "  we 
struck  across  the  valley,  and  ascended  the  opposite  heights. 
Just  beyond  them,  my  guide  informed  me,  lay  the  valley  of  Hap- 
par,  while  along  their  summits,  and  skirting  the  head  of  the  vale, 
was  my  route  to  Nukuheva.  After  mounting  a  little  way  up  the 
elevation  my  guide  paused,  and  gave  me  to  understand  that  he 
could  not  accompany  me  any  farther,  and  by  various  signs  inti 
mated  that  he  was  afraid  to  approach  any  nearer  the  territories  of 
the  enemies  of  his  tribe.  He  however  pointed  out  my  path,  which 
now  lay  clearly  before  me,  and  bidding  me  farewell,  hastily 
descended  the  mountain. 


128  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS,  [CHAP,  xm 

"  Quite  elated  at  being  so  near  the  Happars,  I  pushed  up  the 
acclivity,  and  soon  gained  its  summit.  It  tapered  up  to  a  sharp 
ridge,  from  whence  I  beheld  both  the  hostile  valleys.  Here  I  sat 
down  and  rested  for  a  moment,  refreshing  myself  with  my  cocoa- 
nuts.  I  was  soon  again  pursuing  my  way  along  the  height,  when 
suddenly  I  saw  three  of  the  islanders,  who  must  have  just  come 
out  of  Happar  valley,  standing  in  the  path  ahead  of  me.  They 
were  each  armed  with  a  heavy  spear,  and  one  from  his  appear 
ance  I  took  to  be  a  chief.  They  sung  out  something,  I  could  not 
understand  what,  and  beckoned  me  to  come  on. 

"  Without  the  least  hesitation  I  advanced  towards  them,  and 
had  approached  within  about  a  yard  of  the  foremost,  when,  point 
ing  angrily  into  the  Typee  valley,  and  uttering  some  savage 
exclamation,  he  wheeled  round  his  weapon  like  lightning,  and 
struck  me  in  a  moment  to  the  ground.  The  blow  inflicted  this 
wound,  and  took  away  my  senses.  As  soon  as  I  came  to  myself, 
I  perceived  the  three  islanders  standing  a  little  distance  off,  and 
apparently  engaged  in  some  violent  altercation  respecting  me. 

"  My  first  impulse  was  to  run  for  it ;  but,  in  endeavoring  to  rise, 
I  fell  back,  and  rolled  down  a  little  grassy  precipice.  The  shock 
seemed  to  rally  my  faculties ;  so,  starting  to  my  feet,  I  fled  down 
the  path  I  had  just  ascended.  I  had  no  need  to  look  behind  me, 
for,  from  the  yells  I  heard,  I  knew  that  my  enemies  were  in  full 
pursuit.  Urged  on  by  their  fearful  outcries,  and  heedless  of  the 
injury  I  had  received — though  the  blood  flowing  from  the  wound 
trickled  over  into  my  eyes  and  almost  blinded  me — I  rushed  down 
the  mountain  side  with  the  speed  of  the  wind.  In  a  short  time  I 
had  descended  nearly  a  third  of  the  distance,  and  the  savages  had 
ceased  their  cries,  when  suddenly  a  terrific  howl  burst  upon  my 
ear,  and  at  the  same  moment  a  heavy  javelin  darted  past  me  as 
I  fled,  and  stuck  quivering  in  a  tree  close  to  me.  Another  yell 
followed,  and  a  second  spear  and  a  third  shot  through  the  air 
within  a  few  feet  of  my  body,  both  of  them  piercing  the  ground 


CHAP,  xiii.]      TOBY'S  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  ATTACK.  129 

obliquely  in  advance  of  me.  The  fellows  gave  a  roar  of  rage 
and  disappointment ;  but  they  were  afraid,  I  suppose,  of  coming 
down  further  into  the  Typee  valley,  and  so  abandoned  the  chase. 
I  saw  them  recover  their  weapons  and  turn  back  ;  and  I  continued 
my  descent  as  fast  as  I  could. 

"  What  could  have  caused  this  ferocious  attack  on  the  part  of 
these  Happars  I  could  not  imagine,  unless  it  were  that  they  had 
seen  me  ascending  the  mountain  with  Marheyo,  and  that  the  mere 
fact  of  coming  from  the  Typee  valley  was  sufficient  to  provoke 
them. 

"  As  long  as  I  was  in  danger  I  scarcely  felt  the  wound  I  had 
received  ;  but  when  the  chase  was  over  I  began  to  suffer  from  it. 
I  had  lost  my  hat  in  the  flight,  and  the  sun  scorched  my  bare 
head.  I  felt  faint  and  giddy ;  but,  fearful  of  falling  to  the 
ground  beyond  the  reach  of  assistance,  I  staggered  on  as  well  as 
I  could,  and  at  last  gained  the  level  of  the  valley,  and  then  down 
I  sunk ;  and  I  knew  nothing  more  until  I  found  myself  lying 
upon  these  mats,  and  you  stooping  over  me  with  the  calabash  of 
water." 

Such  was  Toby's  account  of  this  sad  affair.  I  afterwards 
learned  that  fortunately  he  had  fallen  close  to  a  spot  where  the 
natives  go  for  fuel.  A  party  of  them  caught  sight  of  him  as  he 
fell,  and  sounding  the  alarm,  had  lifted  him  up  ;  and  after  inef 
fectually  endeavoring  to  restore  him  at  the  brook,  had  hurried  for 
ward  with  him  to  the  house. 

This  incident  threw  a  dark  cloud  over  our  prospects.  It  re 
minded  us  that  we  were  hemmed  in  by  hostile  tribes,  whose  terri 
tories  we  could  not  hope  to  pass,  on  our  route  to  Nukuheva,  with 
out  encountering  the  effects  of  their  savage  resentment.  There  ap 
peared  to  be  no  avenue  opened  to  our  escape  but  the  sea,  which 
washed  the  lower  extremity  of  the  vale. 

Our  Typee  friends  availed  themselves  of  the  recent  disaster  of 
Toby  to  exhort  us  to  a  due  appreciation  of  the  blessings  we  enjoyed 
7* 


130  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xm. 

among  them;  contrasting  their  own  generous  reception  of  us 
with  the  animosity  of  their  neighbors.  They  likewise  dwelt  upon 
the  cannibal  propensities  of  the  Happars,  a  subject  which  they 
were  perfectly  aware  could  not  fail  to  alarm  us  ;  while  at  the 
same  time  they  earnestly  disclaimed  all  participation  in  so  horrid 
a  custom.  Nor  did  they  omit  to  call  upon  us  to  admire  the  natu 
ral  loveliness  of  their  own  abode,  and  the  lavish  abundance  with 
which  it  produced  all  manner  of  luxuriant  fruits  ;  exalting  it  in 
this  particular  above  any  of  the  surrounding  valleys. 

Kory-Kory  seemed  to  experience  so  heartfelt  a  desire  to  infuse  into 
our  minds  proper  views  on  these  subjects,  that,  assisted  in  his  en 
deavors  by  the  little  knowledge  of  the  language  we  had  acquired, 
he  actually  made  us  comprehend  a  considerable  part  of  what  he 
said.  To  facilitate  our  correct -apprehension  of  his  meaning,  he 
at  first  condensed  his  ideas  into  the  smallest  possible  compass. 

"  Happar  keekeeno  nuee,"  he  exclaimed ;  "  nuee,  nuee,  ki  ki 
kannaka  ! — ah  !  owle  motarkee  !"  which  signifies,  "  Terrible  fel 
lows  those  Happars  ! — devour  an  amazing  quantity  of  men  ! — ah, 
shocking  bad  !"  Thus  far  he  explained  himself  by  a  variety  of 
gestures,  during  the  performance  of  which  he  would  dart  out  of  the 
house,  and  point  abhorrently  towards  the  Happar  valley  ;  running 
in  to  us  again  with  a  rapidity  that  showed  he  was  fearful  we 
would  lose  one  part  of  his  meaning  before  he  could  complete  the 
other ;  and  continuing  his  illustrations  by  seizing  the  fleshy  part 
of  my  arm  in  his  teeth,  intimating  by  the  operation  that  the  peo 
ple  who  lived  over  in  that  direction  would  like  nothing  better  than 
to  treat  me  in  that  manner. 

Having  assured  himself  that  we  were  fully  enlightened  on  this 
point,  he  proceeded  to  another  branch  of  his  subject.  "  Ah  ! 
Typee  motarkee  ! — nuee,  nuee  mioree — nuee,  nuee  wai — nuee, 
nuee  poee-poee^-nuee,  nuee  kokoo — ah  !  nuee,  nuee  kik! — ah  ! 
nuee,  nuee,  nuee  !"  Which,  literally  interpreted  as  before,  would 
imply,  «  Ah,  Typee  !  isn't  it  a  fine  place  though  ! — no  danger  of 


CHAP,  xi.]  KORY-KORY'S  ELOQUENCE.  131 

starving  here,  I  tell  you  ! — plenty  of  bread-fruit — plenty  of  water 
— plenty  of  pudding — ah  !  plenty  of  everything !  ah  !  heaps, 
heaps,  heaps  !"  All  this  was  accompanied  by  a  running  com 
mentary  of  signs  and  gestures  which  it  was  impossible  not  to 
comprehend. 

As  he  continued  his  harangue,  however,  Kory-Kory,  in  emu 
lation  of  our  more  polished  orators,  began  to  launch  out  rather 
diffusely  into  other  branches  of  his  subject,  enlarging  probably 
upon  the  moral  reflections  it  suggested  \  and  proceeded  in  such  a 
strain  of  unintelligible  and  stunning  gibberish,  that  he  actually 
gave  me  the  headache  for  the  rest  of  the  day. 


I 


132  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.          [CHAP,  xiv 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

A  great  Event  happens  in  the  Valley — The  Island  Telegraph — Some 
thing  befalls  Toby — Fayaway  displays  a  tender  heart — Melancholy 
reflections — Mysterious  conduct  of  the  Islanders — Devotion  of  Kory- 
Kory — A  rural  couch — A  luxury — Kory-Kory  strikes  a  light  a  la 
Typee. 

IN  the  course  of  a  few  days  Toby  had  recovered  from  the  effects 
of  his  adventure  with  the  Happar  warriors ;  the  wound  on  his 
head  rapidly  healing  under  the  vegetable  treatment  of  the  good 
Tinor.  Less  fortunate  than  my  companion,  however,  I  still 
continued  to  languish  under  a  complaint  the  origin  and  nature  of 
which  were  still  a  mystery.  Cut  off  as  I  was  from  all  inter 
course  with  the  civilized  world,  and  feeling  the  inefficacy  of 
anything  the  natives  could  do  to  relieve  me ;  knowing,  too,  that 
so  long  as  I  remained  in  my  present  condition,  it  would  be  im 
possible  for  me  to  leave  the  valley,  whatever  opportunity  might 
present  itself;  and  apprehensive  that  ere  long  we  might  be  ex 
posed  to  some  caprice  on  the  part  of  the  islanders,  I  now  gave 
up  all  hopes  of  recovery,  and  became  a  prey  to  the  most  gloomy 
thoughts.  A  deep  dejection  fell  upon  me,  which  neither  the 
friendly  remonstrances  of  my  companion,  the  devoted  attentions 
of  Kory-Kory,  nor  all  the  soothing  influences  of  Fayaway  could 
remove. 

One  morning  as  I  lay  on  the  mats  in  the  house,  plunged  in 
melancholy  reverie,  and  regardless  of  everything  around  me, 
Toby,  who  had  left  me  about  an  hour,  returned  in  haste,  and  with 
great  glee  told  me  to  cheer  up  and  be  of  good  heart ;  for  he  be 
lieved,  from  what  was  going  on  among  the  natives,  that  there  were 
boats  approaching  the  bay. 


CHAP,  xiv.]  THE  ISLAND  TELEGRAPH.  133 

These  tidings  operated  upon  me  like  magic.  The  hour  of  our 
deliverance  was  at  hand,  and  starting  up,  I  was  soon  convinced 
that  something  unusual  was  about  to  occur.  The  word  "  botee  ! 
botee  !"  was  vociferated  in  all  directions  :  and  shouts  were  heard 
in  the  distance,  at  first  feebly  and  faintly ;  but  growing  louder 
and  nearer  at  each  successive  repetition,  until  they  were  caught 
up  by  a  fellow  in  a  cocoa-nut  tree  a  few  yards  off,  who  sounding 
them  in  turn,  they  were  reiterated  from  a  neighboring  grove,  and 
so  died  away  gradually  from  point  to  point,  as  the  intelligence 
penetrated  into  the  farthest  recesses  of  the  valley.  This  was  the 
vocal  telegraph  of  the  islanders  ;  by  means  of  which  condensed 
items  of  information  could  be  carried  in  a  very  few  minutes  from  the 
sea  to  their  remotest  habitation,  a  distance  of  at  least  eight  or  nine 
miles.  On  the  present  occasion  it  was  in  active  operation ;  one 
piece  of  information  following  another  with  inconceivable  rapidity. 

The  greatest  commotion  now  appeared  to  prevail.  At  every 
fresh  item  of  intelligence  the  natives  betrayed  the  liveliest  in 
terest,  and  redoubled  the  energy  with  which  they  employed 
themselves  in  collecting  fruit  to  sell  to  the  expected  visitors. 
Some  were  tearing  off  the  husks  from  cocoa-nuts  ;  some  perched 
in  the  trees  were  throwing  down  bread-fruit  to  their  companions, 
who  gathered  them  into  heaps  as  they  fell ;  while  others  were 
plying  their  fingers  rapidly  in  weaving  leafen  baskets  in  which  to 
carry  the  fruit. 

There  were  other  matters  too  going  on  at  the  same  time. 
Here  you  would  see  a  stout  warrior  polishing  his  spear  with  a  bit 
of  old  tappa,  or  adjusting  the  folds  of  the  girdle  about  his  waist ; 
and  there  you  might  descry  a  young  damsel  decorating  herself 
with  flowers,  as  if  having  in  her  eye  some  maidenly  conquest ; 
while,  as  in  all  cases  of  hurry  and  confusion  in  every  part  of  tho 
world,  a  number  of  individuals  kept  hurrying  to  and  fro,  with 
amazing  vigor  and  perseverance,  doing  nothing  themselves,  and 
hindering  others. 


134  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xxr. 

Never  before  had  we  seen  the  islanders  in  such  a  state  of  bustle 
and  excitement ;  and  the  scene  furnished  abundant  evidence  of 
the  fact — that  it  was  only  at  long  intervals  any  such  events 
occur. 

When  I  thought  of  the  length  of  time  that  might  intervene  be 
fore  a  similar  chance  of  escape  would  be  presented,  I  bitterly 
lamented  that  I  had  not  the  power  of  availing  myself  effectually 
of  the  present  opportunity. 

From  all  that  we  could  gather,  it  appeared  that  the  natives  were 
fearful  of  arriving  too  late  upon  the  beach,  unless  they  made  ex 
traordinary  exertions.  Sick  and  lame  as  I  was,  I  would  have 
started  with  Toby  at  once,  had  not  Kory-Kory  not  only  refused 
to  carry  me,  but  manifested  the  most  invincible  repugnance  to  our 
leaving  the  neighborhood  of  the  house.  The  rest  of  the  savages 
were  equally  opposed  to  our  wishes,  and  seemed  grieved  and  asto 
nished  at  the  earnestness  of  my  solicitations.  I  clearly  perceived 
that  while  my  attendant  avoided  all  appearance  of  constraining 
my  movements,  he  was  nevertheless  determined  to  thwart  my 
wishes.  He  seemed  to  me  on  this  particular  occasion,  as  well  as 
often  afterwards,  to  be  executing  the  orders  of  some  other  person 
with  regard  to  me,  though  at  the  same  time  feeling  towards  me 
the  most  lively  affection. 

Toby,  who  had  made  up  his  mind  to  accompany  the  islanders 
if  possible,  as  soon  as  they  were  in  readiness  to  depart,  and  who 
for  that  reason  had  refrained  from  showing  the  same  anxiety  that 
I  had  done,  now  represented  to  me  that  it  was  idle  for  me  to 
entertain  the  hope  of  reaching  the  beach  in  time  to  profit  by  any 
opportunity  that  might  then  be  presented. 

"  Do  you  not  see,"  said  he,  "  the  savages  themselves  are  fearful 
of  being  too  late,  and  I  should  hurry  forward  myself  at  once  did 
I  not  think  that  if  I  showed  too  much  eagerness  I  should  destroy 
all  our  hopes  of  reaping  any  benefit  from  this  fortunate  event. 
If  you  will  only  endeavor  to  appear  tranquil  or  unconcerned,  you 


CHAP,  xiv.]  REVIVED  HOPES.  135 

will  quiet  their  suspicions,  and  I  have  no  doubt  they  will  then  let 
me  go  with  them  to  the  beach,  supposing  that  I  merely  go  out  of 
curiosity.  Should  I  succeed  in  getting  down  to  the  boats,  I 
will  make  known  the  condition  in  which  I  have  left  you,  and 
measures  may  then  be  taken  to  secure  our  escape." 

In  the  expediency  of  this  I  could  not  but  acquiesce ;  and  as 
the  natives  had  now  completed  their  preparations,  I  watched 
with  the  liveliest  interest  the  reception  that  Toby's  application 
might  meet  with.  As  soon  as  they  understood  from  my  com 
panion  that  I  intended  to  remain,  they  appeared  to  make  no 
objection  to  his  proposition,  and  even  hailed  it  with  pleasure. 
Their  singular  conduct  on  this  occasion  not  a  little  puzzled  me 
at  the  time,  and  imparted  to  subsequent  events  an  additional 
mystery. 

The  islanders  were  now  to  be  seen  hurrying  along  the  path  which 
led  to  the  sea.  I  shook  Toby  warmly  by  the  hand,  and  gave  him 
my  Payta  hat  to  shield  his  wounded  head  from  the  sun,  as  he  had 
lost  his  own.  He  cordially  returned  the  pressure  of  my  hand, 
and  solemnly  promising  to  return  as  soon  as  the  boats  should  leave 
the  shore,  sprang  from  my  side,  and  the  next  minute  disappeared 
in  a  turn  of  the  grove. 

In  spite  of  the  unpleasant  reflections  that  crowded  upon  my 
mind,  I  could  not  but  be  entertained  by  the  novel  and  animated 
sight  which  now  met  my  view.  One  after  another  the  natives 
crowded  along  the  narrow  path,  laden  with  every  variety  of  fruit. 
Here,  you  might  have  seen  one,  who,  after  ineffectually  endeavor 
ing  to  persuade  a  surly  porker  to  be  conducted  in  leading  strings, 
was  obliged  at  last  to  seize  the  perverse  animal  in  his  arms,  and 
carry  him  struggling  against  his  naked  breast,  and  squealing 
without  intermission.  There  went  two,  who  at  a  little  distance 
might  have  been  taken  for  the  Hebrew  spies,  on  their  return  to 
Moses  with  the  goodly  bunch  of  grapes.  One  trotted  before  the 
other  at  a  distance  of  a  couple  of  yards,  while  between  them, 


136  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.         [CHAP.  xiv. 

from  a  pole  resting  on  their  shoulders,  was  suspended  a  huge 
cluster  of  bananas,  which  swayed  to  and  fro  with  the  rocking 
gait  at  which  they  proceeded.  Here  ran  another,  perspiring 
with  his  exertions,  and  bearing  before  him  a  quantity  of  cocoa- 
nuts,  who,  fearful  of  being  too  late,  heeded  not  the  fruit  that 
dropped  from  his  basket,  and  appeared  solely  intent  upon  reaching 
his  destination,  careless  how  many  of  his  cocoa-nuts  kept  com 
pany  with  him. 

In  a  short  time  the  last  straggler  was  seen  hurrying  on  his  way, 
and  the  faint  shouts  of  those  in  advance  died  insensibly  upon  the 
ear.  Our  part  of  the  valley  now  appeared  nearly  deserted  by  its 
inhabitants,  Kory-Kory,  his  aged  father,  and  a  few  decrepid  old 
people,  being  all  that  were  left. 

Towards  sunset  the  islanders  in  small  parties  began  to  return 
from  the  beach,  and  among  them,  as  they  drew  near  to  the  house, 
I  sought  to  descry  the  form  of  my  companion.  But  one  after 
another  they  passed  the  dwelling,  and  I  caught  no  glimpse  of  him. 
Supposing,  however,  that  he  would  soon  appear  with  some  of  the 
members  of  the  household,  I  quieted  my  apprehensions,  and  waited 
patiently  to  see  him  advancing  in  company  with  the  beautiful 
Fayaway.  At  last,  I  perceived  Tinor  coming  forward,  followed 
by  the  girls  and  young  men  who  usually  resided  in  the  house  of 
Marheyo  ;  but  with  them  came  not  my  comrade,  and,  filled  with  a 
thousand  alarms,  I  eagerly  sought  to  discover  the  cause  of  his  delay. 

My  earnest  questions  appeared  to  embarrass  the  natives  greatly. 
All  their  accounts  were  contradictory  :  one  giving  me  to  under 
stand  that  Toby  would  be  with  me  in  a  very  short  time  ;  another 
that  he  did  not  know  where  he  was  ;  while  a  third,  violently  in 
veighing  against  him,  assured  me  that  he  had  stolen  away,  and 
would  never  come  back.  It  appeared  to  me,  at  the  time,  that  in 
making  these  various  statements  they  endeavored  to  conceal  from 
me  some  terrible  disaster,  lest  the  knowledge  of  it  should  over 
power  me. 


CHAP,  xiv.]  FA YA WAY'S  SYMPATHY.  137 

Fearful  lest  some  fatal  calamity  had  overtaken  him,  I  sought 
out  young  Fayaway,  and  endeavored  to  learn  from  her,  if  possible, 
the  truth. 

This  gentle  being  had  early  attracted  my  regard,  not  only  from 
her  extraordinary  beauty,  but  from  the  attractive  cast  of  her 
countenance,  singularly  expressive  of  intelligence  and  humanity. 
Of  all  the  natives  she  alone  seemed  to  appreciate  the  effect  which 
the  peculiarity  of  the  circumstances  in  which  we  were  placed 
had  produced  upon  the  minds  of  my  companion  and  myself.  In 
addressing  me — especially  when  I  lay  reclining  upon  the  mats 
suffering  from  pain — there  was  a  tenderness  in  her  manner  which 
it  was  impossible  to  misunderstand  or  resist.  Whenever  she  en 
tered  the  house,  the  expression  of  her  face  indicated  the  liveliest 
sympathy  for  me  ;  and  moving  towards  the  place  where  I  lay, 
with  one  arm  slightly  elevated  in  a  gesture  of  pity,  and  her  large 
glistening  eyes  gazing  intently  into  mine,  she  would  murmur 
plaintively,  "  Awha !  awha  !  Tommo,"  and  seat  herself  mourn 
fully  beside  me. 

Her  manner  convinced  me  that  she  deeply  compassionated  my 
situation,  as  being  removed  from  my  country  and  friends,  and 
placed  beyond  the  reach  of  all  relief.  Indeed,  at  times  I  was 
almost  led  to  believe  that  her  mind  was  swayed  by  gentle  im 
pulses  hardly  to  be  anticipated  from  one  in  her  condition ;  that 
she  appeared  to  be  conscious  there  were  ties  rudely  severed,  which 
had  once  bound  us  to  our  homes ;  that  there  were  sisters  and 
brothers  anxiously  looking  forward  to  our  return,  who  were,  per 
haps,  never  more  to  behold  us. 

In  this  amiable  light  did  Fayaway  appear  in  my  eyes ;  and 
reposing  full  confidence  in  her  candor  and  intelligence,  I  now 
had  recourse  to  her,  in  the  midst  of  my  alarm,  with  regard  to  my 
companion. 

My  questions  evidently  distressed  her.  She  looked  round  from 
one  to  another  of  the  bystanders,  as  if  hardly  knowing  what  an- 


138  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.          [CHAP.  xiy. 

swer  to  give  me.  At  last,  yielding  to  my  importunities,  she  over 
came  her  scruples,  and  gave  me  to  understand  that  Toby  had  gone 
away  with  the  boats  which  had  visited  the  bay,  but  had  promised 
to  return  at  the  expiration  of  three  days.  At  first  I  accused  him 
of  perfidiously  deserting  me ;  but  as  I  grew  more  composed,  I 
upbraided  myself  for  imputing  so  cowardly  an  action  to  him,  and 
tranquillized  myself  with  the  belief  that  he  had  availed  himself 
of  the  opportunity  to  go  round  to  Nukuheva,  in  order  to  make 
some  arrangement  by  which  I  could  be  removed  from  the  valley. 
At  any  rate,  thought  I,  he  will  return  with  the  medicines  I  re 
quire,  and  then,  as  soon  as  I  recover,  there  will  be  no  difficulty 
in  the  way  of  our  departure. 

Consoling  myself  with  these  reflections,  I  lay  down  that  night 
in  a  happier  frame  of  mind  than  I  had  done  for  some  time.  The 
next  day  passed  without  any  allusion  to  Toby  on  the  part  of  the 
natives,  who  seemed  desirous  of  avoiding  all  reference  to  the  sub 
ject.  This  raised  some  apprehensions  in  my  breast ;  but  when 
night  came,  I  congratulated  myself  that  the  second  day  had  now 
gone  by,  and  that  on  the  morrow  Toby  would  again  be  with  me. 
But  the  morrow  came  and  went,  and  my  companion  did  not  ap 
pear.  Ah !  thought  I,  he  reckons  three  days  from  the  morning 
of  his  departure, — to-morrow  he  will  arrive.  But  that  weary  day 
also  closed  upon  me,  without  his  return.  Even  yet  I  would  not 
despair  ;  I  thought  that  something  detained  him — that  he  was 
waiting  for  the  sailing  of  a  boat,  at  Nukuheva,  and  that  in  a  day 
or  two  at  farthest  I  should  see  him  again.  But  day  after  day  of 
renewed  disappointment  passed  by ;  at  last  hope  deserted  me,  and 
I  fell  a  victim  to  despair. 

Yes,  thought  I,  gloomily,  he  has  secured  his  own  escape,  and 
cares  not  what  calamity  may  befall  his  unfortunate  comrade. 
Fool  that  I  was,  to  suppose  that  any  one  would  willingly  encoun 
ter  the  perils  of  this  valley,  after  having  once  got  beyond  its 
limits !  He  has  gone,  and  has  left  me  to  combat  alone  all  the 


CHAP,  xiv.]  CONDUCT  OF  THE  ISLANDERS.  139 

dangers  by  which  I  am  surrounded.  Thus  would  I  sometimes 
seek  to  derive  a  desperate  consolation  from  dwelling  upon  the  per 
fidy  of  Toby  :  whilst  at  other  times  I  sunk  under  the  bitter  remorse 
which  I  felt  as  having  by  my  own  imprudence  brought  upon  my 
self  the  fate  which  I  was  sure  awaited  me. 

At  other  times  I  thought  that  perhaps  after  all  these  treacherous 
savages  had  made  away  with  him,  and  thence  the  confusion  into 
which  they  were  thrown  by  my  questions,  and  their  contradictory 
answers ;  or  he  might  be  a  captive  in  some  other  part  of  the  valley ; 
or,  more  dreadful  still,  might  have  met  with  that  fate  at  which  my 
very  soul  shudder-ed.  But  all  these  speculations  were  vain  ;  no 
tidings  of  Toby  ever  reached  me  ;  he  had  gone  never  to  return. 

The  conduct  of  the  islanders  appeared  inexplicable.  All  re 
ference  to  my  lost  comrade  was  carefully  evaded,  and  if  at  any 
time  they  were  forced  to  make  some  reply  to  my  frequent  inquiries 
on  the  subject,  they  would  uniformly  denounce  him  as  an  un 
grateful  runaway,  who  had  deserted  his  friend,  and  taken  him 
self  off  to  that  vile  and  detestable  place  Nukuheva. 

But  whatever  might  have  been  his  fate,  now  that  he  was  gone, 
the  natives  multiplied  their  acts  of  kindness  and  attention  towards 
myself,  treating  me  with  a  degree  of  deference  which  could  hardly 
have  been  surpassed  had  I  been  some  celestial  visitant.  Kory- 
Kory  never  for  one  moment  left  my  side,  unless  it  were  to  exe 
cute  my  wishes.  The  faithful  fellow,  twice  every  day,  in  the 
cool  of  the  morning  and  in  the  evening,  insisted  upon  carrying  me 
to  the  stream,  and  bathing  me  in  its  refreshing  water. 

Frequently  in  the  afternoon  he  would  carry  me  to  a  particular 
part  of  the  stream,  where  the  beauty  of  the  scene  produced  a  sooth 
ing  influence  upon  my  mind.  At  this  place  the  waters  flowed 
between  grassy  banks,  planted  with  enormous  bread-fruit  trees, 
whose  vast  branches  interlacing  overhead,  formed  a  leafy  canopy  ; 
near  the  stream  were  several  smooth  black  rocks.  One  of  these, 
projecting  several  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  water,  had  upon 


140  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.          [CHAP.  xiv. 

its  summit  a  shallow  cavity,  which,  filled  with  freshly-gathered 
leaves,  formed  a  delightful  couch. 

Here  I  often  lay  for  hours,  covered  with  a  gauze-like  veil  of 
tappa,  while  Fayaway,  seated  beside  me,  and  holding  in  her  hand 
a  fan  woven  from  the  leaflets  of  a  young  cocoa-nut  bough,  brushed 
aside  the  insects  that  occasionally  lighted  on  my  .face,  and  Kory- 
Kory,  with  a  view  of  chasing  away  my  melancholy,  performed  a 
thousand  antics  in  the  water  before  us. 

As  my  eye  wandered  along  this  romantic  stream,  it  would  fall 
upon  the  half-immersed  figure  of  a  beautiful  girl,  standing  in  the 
transparent  water,  and  catching  in  a  little  net  a  species  of  dimi 
nutive  shell-fish,  of  which  these  people  are  extravagantly  fond. 
Sometimes  a  chattering  group  would  be  seated  upon  the  edge  of  a 
low  rock  in  the  midst  of  the  brook,  busily  engaged  in  thinning 
and  polishing  the  shells  of  cocoa-nuts,  by  rubbing  them  briskly 
with  a  small  stone  in  the  water,  an  operation  which  soon  converts 
them  into  a  light  and  elegant  drinking  vessel,  somewhat  resem 
bling  goblets  made  of  tortoise-shell. 

But  the  tranquillizing  influences  of  beautiful  scenery,  and  the 
exhibition  of  human  life  under  so  novel  and  charming  an  aspect, 
were  not  my  only  sources  of  consolation. 

Every  evening  the  girls  of  the  house  gathered  about  me  on  the 
mats,  and  after  chasing  away  Kory-Kory  from  my  side — who, 
nevertheless,  retired  only  to  a  little  distance  and  watched  their 
proceedings  with  the  most  jealous  attention — would  anoint  my 
whole  body  with  a  fragrant  oil,  squeezed  from  a  yellow  root,  pre 
viously  pounded  between  a  couple  of  stones,  and  which  in  their 
language  is  denominated  "  aka."  And  most  refreshing  and  agree 
able  are  the  juices  of  the  "  aka,"  when  applied  to  one's  limbs 
by  the  soft  palms  of  sweet  nymphs,  whose  bright  eyes  are  beam 
ing  upon  you  with  kindness  ;  and  I  used  to  hail  with  delight  the 
daily  recurrence  of  this  luxurious  operation,  in  which  I  forgot  all 
my  troubles,  and  buried  for  the  time  every  feeling  of  sorrow. 


CHAP,  xiv.]  PRODUCING  LIGHT  A  LA  TYPEE.  141 

Sometimes  in  the  cool  of  the  evening  my  devoted  servitor  would 
lead  me  out  upon  the  pi-pi  in  front  of  the  house,  and  seating  me 
near  its  edge,  protect  my  body  from  the  annoyance  of  the  insects 
which  occasionally  hovered  in  the  air,  by  wrapping  me  round 
with  a  large  roll  of  tappa.  He  then  bustled  about,  and  employed 
himself  at  least  twenty  minutes  in  adjusting  everything  to  secure 
my  personal  comfort. 

Having  perfected  his  arrangements,  he  would  get  my  pipe,  and, 
lighting  it,  would  hand  it  to  me.  Often  he  was  obliged  to  strike 
a  light  for  the  occasion,  and  as  the  mode  he  adopted  was  entirely 
different  from  what  I  had  ever  seen  or  heard  of  before  I  will 
describe  it. 

A  straight,  dry,  and  partly  decayed  stick  of  the  Habiscus,  about 
six  feet  in  length,  and  half  as  many  inches  in  diameter,  with  a 
smaller  bit  of  wood  not  more  than  a  foot  long,  and  scarcely  an 
inch  wide,  is  as  invariably  to  be  met  with  in  every  house  in 
Typee  as  a  box  of  lucifer  matches  in  the  corner  of  a  kitchen  cup 
board  at  home. 

The  islander,  placing  the  larger  stick  obliquely  against  some 
object,  with  one  end  elevated  at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees, 
mounts  astride  of  it  like  an  urchin  about  to  gallop  off  upon  a 
cane,  and  then  grasping  the  smaller  one  firmly  in  both  hands,  he 
rubs  its  pointed  end  slowly  up  and  down  the  extent  of  a  few 
inches  on  the  principal  stick,  until  at  last  he  makes  a  narrow 
groove  in  the  wood,  with  an  abrupt  termination  at  the  point 
furthest  from  him,  where  all  the  dusty  particles  which  the  friction 
creates  are  accumulated  in  a  little  heap. 

At  first  Kory-Kory  goes  to  work  quite  leisurely,  but  gradually 
quickens  his  pace,  and  waxing  warm  in  the  employment,  drives 
the  stick  furiously  along  the  smoking  channel,  plying  his  hands 
to  and  fro  with  amazing  rapidity,  the  perspiration  starting  from 
every  pore.  As  he  approaches  the  climax  of  his  effort,  he  pants 
and  gasps  for  breath,  and  his  eyes  almost  start  from  their  sockets 


142  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.         [CHAP.  xiv. 

with  the  violence  of  his  exertions.  This  is  the  critical  stage  of 
the  operation  ;  all  his  previous  labors  are  vain  if  he  cannot  sus 
tain  the  rapidity  of  the  movement  until  the  reluctant  spark  is 
produced.  Suddenly  he  stops,  becomes  perfectly  motionless. 
His  hands  still  retain  their  hold  of  the  smaller  stick,  which  is 
pressed  convulsively  against  the  further  end  of  the  channel 
among  the  fine  powder  there  accumulated,  as  if  he  had  just 
pierced  through  and  through  some  little  viper  that  was  wriggling 
and  struggling  to  escape  from  his  clutches.  The  next  moment  a 
delicate  wreath  of  smoke  curls  spirally  into  the  air,  the  heap  of 
dusty  particles  glows  with  fire,  and  Kory-Kory,  almost  breathless, 
dismounts  from  his  steed. 

This  operation  appeared  to  me  to  be  the  most  laborious  species 
of  work  performed  in  Typee  ;  and  had  I  possessed  a  sufficient 
intimacy  with  the  language  to  have  conveyed  my  ideas  upon  the 
subject,  I  should  certainly  have  suggested  to  the  most  influential 
of  the  natives  the  expediency  of  establishing  a  college  of  vestals 
to  be  centrally  located  in  the  valley,  for  the  purpose  of  keeping 
alive  the  indispensable  article  of  fire ;  so  as  to  supersede  the 
necessity  of  such  a  vast  outlay  of  strength  and  good  temper,  as 
were  usually  squandered  on  these  occasions.  There  might,  how 
ever,  be  special  difficulties  in  carrying  this  plan  into  execution. 

What  a  striking  evidence  does  this  operation  furnish  of  the 
wide  difference  between  the  extreme  of  savage  and  civilized  life ! 
A  gentleman  of  Typee  can  bring  up  a  numerous  family  of  chil 
dren  and  give  them  all  a  highly  respectable  cannibal  education, 
with  infinitely  less  toil  and  anxiety  than  he  expends  in  the  simple 
process  of  striking  a  light ;  whilst  a  poor  European  artisan,  who 
through  the  instrumentality  of  a  lucifer  performs  the  same  ope 
ration  in  one  second,  is  put  to  his  wit's  end  to  provide  for  his 
starving  offspring  that  food  which  the  children  of  a  Polynesian 
father,  without  troubling  their  parents,  pluck  from  the  branches 
of  every  tree  around  them. 


CHAP,  xv.]  KINDNESS  OF  THE  ISLANDERS.  143 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Kindness  of  Marheyo  and  the  rest  of  the  Islanders — A  full  Description  of 
the  Bread-fruit  Tree — Different  Modes  of  preparing  the  Fruit. 

ALL  the  inhabitants  of  the  valley  treated  me  with  great  kind 
ness  ;  but  as  to  the  household  of  Marheyo,  with  whom  I  was  now 
permanently  domiciled,  nothing  could  surpass  their  efforts  to 
minister  to  my  comfort.  To  the  gratification  of  my  palate  they 
paid  the  most  unwearied  attention.  They  continually  invited 
me  to  partake  of  food,  and  when  after  eating  heartily  I  declined 
the  viands  they  continued  to  offer  me,  they  seemed  to  think  that 
my  appetite  stood  in  need  of  some  piquant  stimulant  to  excite  its 
activity. 

In  pursuance  of  this  idea,  old  Marheyo  himself  would  hie  him 
away  to  the  sea-shore  by  the  break  of  day,  for  the  purpose  of 
collecting  various  species  of  rare  sea- weed;  some  of  which 
among  these  people  are  considered  a  great  luxury.  After  a 
whole  day  spent  in  this  employment,  he  would  return  about 
nightfall  with  several  cocoa-nut  shells  rilled  with  different  de 
scriptions  of  kemp.  In  preparing  these  for  use  he  manifested  all 
the  ostentation  of  a  professed  cook,  although  the  chief  mystery 
of  the  affair  appeared  to  consist  in  pouring  water  in  judicious 
quantities  upon  the  slimy  contents  of  his  cocoa-nut  shells. 

The  first  time  he  submitted  one  of  these  saline  salads  to  my 
critical  attention  I  naturally  thought  that  anything  collected  at 
such  pains  must  possess  peculiar  merits ;  but  one  mouthful  was  a 
complete  dose ;  and  great  was  the  consternation  of  the  old  war 
rior  at  the  rapidity  with  which  I  ejected  his  epicurean  treat. 

How  true  it  is,  that  the  rarity  of  any  particular  article  en- 


144  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xv. 

hances  its  value  amazingly.  In  some  part  of  the  valley — I  know 
not  where,  but  probably  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  sea — the 
girls  were  sometimes  in  the  habit  of  procuring  small  quantities  of 
salt,  a  thimble-full  or  so  being  the  result  of  the  united  labors 
of  a  party  of  five  or  six  employed  for  the  greater  part  of  the 
day.  This  precious  commodity  they  brought  to  the  house,  en 
veloped  in  multitudinous  folds  of  leaves ;  and  as  a  special  mark 
of  the  esteem  in  which  they  held  me,  would  spread  an  immense 
leaf  on  the  ground,  and  dropping  one  by  one  a  few  minute  par 
ticles  of  the  salt  upon  it,  invite  me  to  taste  them. 

From  the  extravagant  value  placed  upon  the  article,  I  verily 
believe,  that  with  a  bushel  of  common  Liverpool  salt  all  the  real 
estate  in  Typee  might  have  been  purchased.  With  a  small  pinch 
of  it  in  one  hand,  arid  a  quarter  section  of  a  bread-fruit  in  the 
other,  the  greatest  chief  in  the  valley  would  have  laughed  at  all 
the  luxuries  of  a  Parisian  table. 

The  celebrity  of  the  bread-fruit  tree,  and  the  conspicuous  place 
it  occupies  in  a  Typee  bill  of  fare,  induces  me  to  give  at  some 
length  a  general  description  of  the  tree,  and  the  various  modes  in 
which  the  fruit  is  prepared. 

The  bread-fruit  tree,  in  its  glorious  prime,  is  a  grand  and 
towering  object,  forming  the  same  feature  in  a  Marquesan  land 
scape  that  the  patriarchal  elm  does  in  New-England  scenery. 
The  latter  tree  it  not  a  little  resembles  in  height,  in  the  wide 
spread  of  its  stalwart  branches,  and  in  its  venerable  and  imposing 
aspect. 

The  leaves  of  the  bread-fruit  are  of  great  size,  and  their  edges 
are  cut  and  scolloped  as  fantastically  as  those  of  a  lady's  lace 
collar.  As  they  annually  tend  towards  decay,  they  almost  rival  in 
the  brilliant  variety  of  their  gradually  changing  hues  the  fleeting 
shades  of  the  expiring  dolphin.  The  autumnal  tints  of  our 
American  forests,  glorious  as  they  are,  sink  into  nothing  in  com- 
parison  with  this  tree. 


CHAP,  xv.]        DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  BREAD-FRUIT.  145 

The  leaf,  in  one  particular  stage,  when  nearly  all  the  prismatic 
colors  are  blended  on  its  surface,  is  often  converted  by  the 
natives  into  a  superb  and  striking  head-dress.  The  principal 
fibre  traversing  its  length  being  split  open  a  convenient  distance, 
and  the  elastic  sides  of  the  aperture  pressed  apart,  the  head  is 
inserted  between  them,  the  leaf  drooping  on  one  side,  with  its 
forward  half  turned  jauntily  up  on  the  brows,  and  the  remaining 
part  spreading  laterally  behind  the  ears. 

The  fruit  somewhat  resembles  in  magnitude  and  general  ap 
pearance  one  of  our  citron  melons  of  ordinary  size  ;  but,  unlike 
the  citron,  it  has  no  sectional  lines  drawn  along  the  outside.  Its 
surface  is  dotted  all  over  with  little  conical  prominences,  looking 
not  unlike  the  knobs  on  an  antiquated  church  door.  The  rind 
is  perhaps  an  eighth  of  an  inch  in  thickness  ;  and  denuded  of  this, 
at  the  time  when  it  is  in  the  greatest  perfection,  the  fruit  pre 
sents  a  beautiful  globe  of  white  pulp,  the  whole  of  which  may  be 
eaten,  with  the  exception  of  a  slender  core,  which  is  easily 
removed. 

The  bread-fruit,  however,  is  never  used,  and  is  indeed  alto 
gether  unfit  to  be  eaten,  until  submitted  in  one  form  or  other  to 
the  action  of  fire. 

The  most  simple  manner  in  which  this  operation  is  performed, 
and  I  think,  the  best,  consists  in  placing  any  number  of  the 
freshly  plucked  fruit,  when  in  a  particular  state  of  greenness, 
among  the  embers  of  a  fire,  in  the  same  way  that  you  would 
roast  a  potato.  After  the  lapse  of  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  the 
green  rind  embrowns  and  cracks,  showing  through  the  fissures  in 
its  sides  the  milk-white  interior.  As  soon  as  it  cools  the  rind 
drops  off,  and  you  then  have  the  soft  round  pulp  in  its  purest  and 
most  delicious  state.  Thus  eaten,  it  has  a  mild  and  pleasing 
flavor. 

Sometimes  after  having  been  roasted  in  the  fire,  the  natives 
snatch  it  briskly  from  the  embers,  and  permitting  it  to  slip  out  of 

8 


146  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xv. 

the  yielding  rind  into  a  vessel  of  cold  water,  stir  up  the  mixture, 
which  they  call  "  bo-a-sho."  I  never  could  endure  this  com 
pound,  and  indeed  the  preparation  is  not  greatly  in  vogue  among 
the  more  polite  Typees. 

There  is  one  form,  however,  in  which  the  fruit  is  occasionally 
served,  that  renders  it  a  dish  fit  for  a  king.  As  soon  as  it  is 
taken  from  the  fire  the  exterior  is  removed,  the  core  extracted, 
and  the  remaining  part  is  placed  in  a  sort  of  shallow  stone  mor 
tar,  and  briskly  worked  with  a  pestle  of  the  same  substance. 
While  one  person  is  performing  this  operation,  another  takes  a 
ripe  cocoa-nut,  and  breaking  it  in  half,  which  they  also  do  very 
cleverly,  proceeds  to  grate  the  juicy  meat  into  fine  particles. 
This  is  done  by  means  of  a  piece  of  mother-of-pearl  shell,  lashed 
firmly  to  the  extreme  end  of  a  heavy  stick,  with  its  straight  side 
accurately  notched  like  a  saw.  The  stick  is  sometimes  a  gro 
tesquely-formed  limb  of  a  tree,  with  three  or  four  branches  twist 
ing  from  its  body  like  so  many  shapeless  legs,  and  sustaining  it 
two  or  three  feet  from  the  ground. 

The  native,  first  placing  a  calabash  beneath  the  nose,  as  it 
were,  of  his  curious-looking  log-steed,  for  the  purpose  of  receiv 
ing  the  grated  fragments  as  they  fall,  mounts  astride  of  it  as  if  it 
were  a  hobby-horse,  and  twirling  the  inside  of  one  of  his  hemi 
spheres  of  cocoa-nut  around  the  sharp  teeth  of  the  mother-of-pearl 
shell,  the  pure  white  meat  falls  in  snowy  showers  into  the  recep 
tacle  provided.  Having  obtained  a  quantity  sufficient  for  his 
purpose,  he  places  it  in  a  bag  made  of  the  neUike  fibrous  sub- 
stance  attached  to  all  cocoa-nut  trees,  and  compressing  it  over 
the  bread-fruit,  which  being  now  sufficiently  pounded,  is  put  into 
a  wooden  bowl — extracts  a  thick  creamy  milk.  The  delicious 
liquid  soon  bubbles  round  the  fruit,  and  leaves  it  at  last  just  peep 
ing  above  its  surface. 

This  preparation  is  called  "  kokoo,"  and  a  most  luscious  pre 
paration  it  is.  The  hobby-horse  and  the  pestle  and  mortar  were 


CHAP,  xv.]      MODES  OF  PREPARING  BREAD-FRUIT.  147 

in  great  requisition  during  the  time  I  remained  in  the  house  of 
Marheyo,  and  Kory-Kory  had  frequent  occasion  to  show  his  skill 
in  their  use. 

But  the  great  staple  articles  of  food  into  which  the  bread-fruit  is 
converted  by  these  natives  are  known  respectively  by  the  names 
of  Amar  and  Poee-Poee. 

At  a  certain  season  of  the  year,  when  the  fruit  of  the  hundred 
groves  of  the  valley  has  reached  its  maturity,  and  hangs  in 
golden  spheres  from  every  branch,  the  islanders  assemble  in 
harvest  groups,  and  garner  in  the  abundance  which  surrounds 
them.  The  trees  are  stripped  of  their  nodding  burdens,  which, 
easily  freed  from  the  rind  and  core,  are  gathered  together  in  ca 
pacious  wooden  vessels,  where  the  pulpy  fruit  is  soon  worked  by 
a  stone  pestle,  vigorously  applied,  into  a  blended  mass  of  a  doughy 
consistency,  called  by  the  natives  "  Tutao."  This  is  then  divid 
ed  into  separate  parcels,  which,  after  being  made  up  into  stout 
packages,  enveloped  in  successive  folds  of  leaves,  and  bound 
round  with  thongs  of  bark,  are  stored  away  in  large  receptacles 
hollowed  in  the  earth,  from  whence  they  are  drawn  as  occasion 
may  require. 

In  this  condition  the  Tutao  sometimes  remains  for  years,  and 
even  is  thought  to  improve  by  age.  Before  it  is  fit  to  be  eaten, 
however,  it  has  to  undergo  an  additional  process.  A  primitive 
oven  is  scooped  in  the  ground,  and  its  bottom  being  loosely 
covered  with  stones,  a  large  fire  is  kindled  within  it.  As  soon  as 
the  requisite  degree  of  heat  is  attained,  the  embers  are  removed, 
and  the  surface  of  the  stones  being  covered  with  thick  layers  of 
leaves,  one  of  the  large  packages  of  Tutao  is  deposited  upon  them, 
and  overspread  with  another  layer  of  leaves.  The  whole  is  then 
quickly  heaped  up  with  earth,  and  forms  a  sloping  mound. 

The  Tutao  thus  baked  is  called  "  Amar ;"  the  action  of  the 
oven  having  converted  it  into  an  amber-colored  caky^substance, 
a  little  tart,  but  not  at  all  disagreeable  to  the  taste. 


148  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP,  xv, 

By  another  and  final  process  the  "  Amar "  is  changed  into 
"Poee-Poee."  This  transition  is  rapidly  effected.  The  amar 
is  placed  in  a  vessel,  and  mixed  with  water  until  it  gains  a 
proper  pudding-like  consistency,  when,  without  further  prepara 
tion,  it  is  in  readiness  for  use.  This  is  the  form  in  which  the 
"  Tutao  "  is  generally  consumed.  The  singular  mode  of  eating 
it  I  have  already  described. 

Were  it  not  that  the  bread-fruit  is  thus  capable  of  being  pre 
served  for  a  length  of  time,  the  natives  might  be  reduced  to  a" 
state  of  starvation  ;  for  owing  to  some  unknown  cause  the  trees 
sometimes  fail  to  bear  fruit ;  and  on  such  occasions  the  islanders 
chiefly  depend  upon  the  supplies  they  have  been  enabled  to  store 
away. 

This  stately  tree,  which  is  rarely  met  with  upon  the  Sand 
wich  Islands,  and  then  only  of  a  very  inferior  quality,  and  at 
Tahiti  does  not  abound  to  a  degree  that  renders  its  fruit  the 
principal  article  of  frood,  attains  its  greatest  excellence  in  the 
genial  climate  of  the  Marquesan  group,  where  it  grows  to  an 
enormous  magnitude,  and  flourishes  in  the  utmost  abundance. 


CHAP,  xvi.]  MELANCHOLY  CONDITION.  149 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

__ Melancholy  condition — Occurrence  at  the  Ti — Anecdote  of  Marheyo— 
Shaving  the  head  of  a  warrior 

IN  looking  back  to  this  period,  and  calling  to  remembrance  the 
numberless  proofs  of  kindness  and  respect  which  I  received  from 
the  natives  of  the  valley,  I  can  scarcely  understand  how  it  was 
that,  in  the  midst  of  so  many  consolatory  circumstances,  *ny  mind 
should  still  have  been  consumed  by  the  most  dismal  forebodings, 
and  have  remained  a  prey  to  the  profoundest  melancholy.  It  is 
true  that  the  suspicious  circumstances  which  had  attended  the 
disappearance  of  Toby  were  enough  of  themselves  to  excite  dis 
trust  with  regard  to  the  savages,  in  whose  power  I  felt  myself  to 
be  entirely  placed,  especially  when  it  was  combined  with  the 
knowledge  that  these  very  men,  kind  and  respectful  as  they  were 
to  me,  were,  after  all,  nothing  better  than  a  set  of  cannibals. 

But  my  chief  source  of  anxiety,  and  that  which  poisoned  every 
temporary  enjoyment,  was  the  mysterious  disease  in  my  leg, 
4*%4iich  still  remained  unabated.  All  the  herbal  applications  of 
Tinor,  united  with  the  severer  discipline  of  the  old  leech,  and  the 
affectionate  nursing  of  Kory-Kory,  had  failed  to  relieve  me.  I 
was  almost  a  cripple,  and  the  pain  I  endured  at  intervals  was 
agonizing.  The  unaccountable  malady  showed  no  signs  of 
amendment ;  on  the  contrary,  its  violence  increased  day  by  day, 
and  threatened  the  most  fatal  results,  unless  some  powerful  means 
were  employed  to  counteract  it.  It  seemed  as  if  I  were  destined 
to  sink  under  this  grievous  affliction,  or  at  least  that  it  would 


160  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.          [CHAP.  *vt. 

hinder  me  from  availing  myself  of  any  opportunity  of  escaping 
from  the  valley. 

An  incident  which  occurred  as  nearly  as  I  can  estimate  about 
three  weeks  after  the  disappearance  of  Toby,  convinced  me  that 
the  natives,  from  some  reason  or  other,  would  interpose  every 
possible  obstacle  to  my  leaving  them. 

One  morning  there  was  no  little  excitement  evinced  by  the 
people  near  my  abode,  and  which  I  soon  discovered  proceeded 
from  a  vague  report  that  boats  had  been  seen  at  a  great  distance 
approaching  the  bay.  Immediately  all  was  bustle  and  anima 
tion.  It  so  happened  that  day  that  the  pain  I  suffered  having 
somewhat  abated,  and  feeling  in  much  better  spirits  than  usual, 
I  had  complied  with  Kory-Kory's  invitation  to  visit  the  chief 
Mehevi  at  the  place  called  the  "  Ti,"  which  I  have  before  de 
scribed  as  being  situated  within  the  precincts  of  the  Taboo 
Groves.  These  sacred  recesses  were  at  no  great  distance  from 
Marheyo's  habitation,  and  lay  between  it  and  the  sea ;  the  path 
that  conducted  to  the  beach  passing  directly  in  front  of  the  Ti, 
and  thence  skirting  along  the  border  of  the  groves. 

I  was  reposing  upon  the  mats,  within  the  sacred  building,  in 
company  with  Mehevi  and  .several  other  chiefs,  when  the  an 
nouncement  was  first  made.  It  sent  a  thrill  of  joy  through  my 
whole  frame  ; — perhaps  Toby  was  about  to  return.  I  rose  at 
once  to  my  feet,  and  my  instinctive  impulse  was  to  hurry  down  to 
the  beach,  equally  regardless  of  the  distance  that  N separated  me 
from  it,  and  of  my  disabled  condition.  As  soon  as  Mehevi 
noticed  the  effect  the  intelligence  had  produced  upon  me,  and 
the  impatience  I  betrayed  to  reach  the  sea,  his  countenance 
assumed  that  inflexible  rigidity  of  expression  which  had  so  awed 
me  on  the  afternoon  of  our  arrival  at  the  house  of  Marheyo.  As 
I  was  proceeding  to  leave  the  Ti,  he  laid  his  hand  upon  my 
shoulder,  and  said  gravely,  "  abo,  abo "  (wait,  wait).  Solely 
intent  upon  the  one  thought  that  occupied  my  mind,  and  heed- 


CHAP,  xvi.]  OCCURRENCE  AT  THE  TI.  151 

less  of  his  request,  I  was  brushing  past  him,  when  suddenly  he 
assumed  a  tone  of  authority,  and  told  me  to  "  moee  "  (sit  down). 
Though  struck  by  the  alteration  in  his  demeanor,  the  excitement 
under  which  I  labored  was  too  strong  to  permit  me  to  obey  the 
unexpected  command,  and  I  was  still  limping  towards  the  edge 
of  the  pi-pi  with  Kory-Kory  clinging  to  one  arm  in  his  efforts  to  re 
strain  me,  when  the  natives  around  started  to  their  feet,  ranged  them 
selves  along  the  open  front  of  the  building,  while  Mehevi  looked  at 
me  scowlingly,  and  reiterated  his  commands  still  more  sternly. 

It  was  at  this  moment,  when  fifty  savage  countenances  were 
glaring  upon  me,  that  I  first  truly  experienced  I  was  indeed  a 
captive  in  the  valley.  The  conviction  rushed  upon  me  with 
staggering  force,  and  I  was  overwhelmed  by  this  confirmation  of 
my  worst  fears.  I  saw  at  once  that  it  was  useless  for  me  to 
resist,  and  sick  at  heart,  I  reseated  myself  upon  the  mats,  and  for 
the  moment  abandoned  myself  to  despair. 

I  now  perceived  the  natives  one  after  the  other  hurrying  past 
the  Ti  and  pursuing  the  route  that  conducted  to  the  sea.  These 
savages,  thought  I,  will  soon  be  holding  communication  with 
some  of  my  own  countrymen  perhaps,  who  with  ease  could 
restore  me  to  liberty  did  they  know  of  the  situation  I  was  in.  No 
language  can  describe  the  wretchedness  which  I  felt ;  and  in  the 
bitterness  of  my  soul  I  imprecated  a  thousand  curses  on  the  perfi 
dious  Toby,  who  had  thus  abandoned  me  to  destruction.  It  was 
in  vain  that  Kory-Kory  tempted  me  with  food,  or  lighted  my  pipe, 
or  sought  to  attract  my  attention  by  performing  the  uncouth  antics 
that  had  sometimes  diverted  me.  I  was  fairly  knocked  down  by 
this  last  misfortune,  which,  much  as  I  had  feared  it,  I  had  never 
before  had  the  courage  calmly  to  contemplate. 

Regardless  of  everything  but  my  own  sorrow,  I  remained  in 
the  Ti  for  several  hours,  until  shouts  proceeding  at  intervals  from 
the  groves  beyond  the  house  proclaimed  the  return  of  the  natives 
from  the  beach. 


152  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.         [CHAP.  xvi. 


Whether  any  boats  visited  the  bay  that  morning  or  not,  I  never 
could  ascertain.  The  savages  assured  me  that  there  had  not — 
but  I  was  inclined  to  believe  that  by  deceiving  me  in  this  parti 
cular  they  sought  to  allay  the  violence  of  my  grief.  However 
that  might  be,  this  incident  showed  plainly  that  the  Typees 
intended  to  hold  me  a  prisoner.  As  they  still  treated  me  -with 
the  same  sedulous  attention  as  before,  I  was  utterly  at  a  loss  how 
to  account  for  their  singular  conduct.  Had  I  been  in  a  situation 
to  instruct  them  in  any  of  the  rudiments  of  the  mechanic  arts, 
or  had  I  manifested  a  disposition  to  render  myself  in  any  way 
useful  among  them,  their  conduct  might  have  been  attributed  to 
some  adequate  motive,  but  as  it  was,  the  matter  seemed  to  me 
inexplicable. 

During  my  whole  stay  on  the  island  there  occurred  but  two 
or  three  instances  where  the  natives  applied  to  me  with  the  view 
of  availing  themselves  of  my  superior  information ;  and  these 
now  appear  so  ludicrous  that  I  cannot  forbear  relating  them. 

The  few  things  we  had  brought  from  Nukuheva  had  been  done 
up  into  a  small  bundle  which  we  had  carried  with  us  in  our 
descent  to  the  valley.  This  bundle,  the  first  night  of  our  arrival, 
I  had  used  as  a  pillow,  but  on  the  succeeding  morning,  opening  it 
for  the  inspection  of  the  natives,  they  gazed  upon  the  miscellane 
ous  contents  as  though  I  had  just  revealed  to  them  a  casket  of 
diamonds,  and  they  insisted  that  so  precious  a  treasure  should  be 
properly  secured.  A  line  was  accordingly  attached  to  it,  and  the 
other  end  being  passed  over  the  ridge-pole  of  the  house,  it  was 
hoisted  up  to  the  apex  of  the  roof,  where  it  hung  suspended  directly 
over  the  mats  where  I  usually  reclined.  When  I  desired  any 
thing  from  it  I  merely  raised  my  finger  to  a  bamboo  beside  me, 
and  taking  hold  of  the  string  which  was  there  fastened,  lowered 
the  package.  This  was  exceedingly  handy,  and  I  took  care  to 
let  the  natives  understand  how  much  I  applauded  the  invention. 
Of  this  package  the  chief  contents  were  a  razor  with  its  case,  a 


CHAP,  xvi.]  DRESSES  .IN  NATIVE  STYLE.  153 

supply  of  needles  and  thread,  a  pound  or  two  of  tobacco,  and  a 
few  yards  of  a  bright-colored  calico. 

I  should  have  mentioned  that  shortly  after  Toby's  disappear 
ance,  perceiving  the  uncertainty  of  the  time  I  might  be  obliged  to 
remain  in  the  valley — if,  indeed,  I  ever  should  escape  from  it — 
and  considering  that  my  whole  wardrobe  consisted  of  a  shirt  and 
a  pair  of  trousers,  I  resolved  to  doff  these  garments  at  once,  in 
order  to  preserve  them  in  a  suitable  condition  for  wear  should  I 
again  appear  among  civilized  beings.  I  was  consequently  obliged 
to  assume  the  Typee  costume,  a  little  altered,  however,  to  suit 
my  own  views  of  propriety,  and  in  which  I  have  no  doubt  I 
appeared  to  as  much  advantage  as  a  senator  of  Rome  enveloped 
in  the  folds  of  his  toga.  A  few  folds  of  yellow  tappa  tucked  about 
my  waist,  descended  to  my  feet  in  the  style  of  a  lady's  petticoat, 
only  I  did  not  have  recourse  to  those  voluminous  paddings  in  the 
rear  with  which  our  gentle  dames  are  in  the  habit  of  augmenting 
the  sublime  rotundity  of  their  figures.  This  usually  comprised 
my  in-door  dress  :  whenever  I  walked  out,  I  superadded  to  it  an 
ample  robe  of  the  same  material,  which  completely  enveloped  my 
person,  and  screened  it  from  the  rays  of  the  sun. 

One  morning  I  made  a  rent  in  this  mantle  ;  and  to  show  the 
islanders  with  what  facility  it  could  be  repaired,  I  lowered  my 
bundle,  and  taking  from  it  a  needle  and  thread,  proceeded  to  stitch 
up  the  opening.  They  regarded  this  \vonderful  application  of 
science  with  intense  admiration  ;  and  whilst  I  was  stitching  away, 
old  Marheyo,  who  was  one  of  the  lookers-on,  suddenly  clapped 
his  hand  to  his  forehead,  and  rushing  to  a  corner  of  the  house, 
drew  forth  a  soiled  and  tattered  strip  of  faded  calico — which  he 
must  have  procured  some  time  or  other  in  traffic  on  the  beacK1 — 
and  besought  me  eagerly  to  exercise  a  little  of  my  art  upon  it. 
I  willingly  complied,  though  certainly  so  stumpy  a  needle  as  mine 
never  took  such  gigantic  strides  over  calico  before.  The  repairs 
completed,  old  Marheyo  gave  me  a  paternal  hug ;  and  divesting 

8* 


154  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  IV1A.RQUESAS.          [CHAP.  xvi. 

himself  of  his  "  maro "  (girdle),  swathed  the  calico  about  his 
loins,  and  slipping  the  beloved  ornaments  into  his  ears,  grasped 
his  spear  and  sallied  out  of  the  house,  like  a  valiant  Templar 
arrayed  in  a  new  and  costly  suit  of  armor. 

I  never  used  my  razor  duiing  my  stay  in  the  island,  but, 
although  a  very  subordinate  affair,  it  had  been  vastly  admired  by 
the  Typees ;  and  Narmonee,  a  great  hero  among  them,  who  was 
exceedingly  precise  in  the  arrangements  of  his  toilet  and  the 
general  adjustment  of  his  person,  being  the  most  accurately 
tattooed  and  laboriously  horrified  individual  in  all  the  valley, 
thought  it  would  be  a  great  advantage  to  have  it  applied  to  the 
already  shaven  crown  of  his  head. 

The  implement  they  usually  employ  is  a  shark's  tooth,  which 
is  about  as  well  adapted  to  the  purpose  as  a  one-pronged  fork  for 
pitching  hay.  No  wonder,  then,  that  the  acute  Narmonee  per- 
ceived  the  advantage  my  razor  possessed  over  the  usual  imple 
ment.  Accordingly,  one  day  he  requested  as  a  personal  favor 
that  I  would  just  run  over  his  head  with  the  razor.  In  reply,  I 
gave  him  to  understand  that  it  was  too  dull,  and  could  not  be  used 
to  any  purpose  without  being  previously  sharpened.  To  assist 
my  meaning,  I  went  through  an  imaginary  honing  process  on  the 
palm  of  my  hand.  Narmonee  took  my  meaning  in  an  instant,  and 
running  out  of  the  house,  returned  the  next  moment  with  a  huge 
rough  mass  of  rock  as  big  as  a  millstone,  and  indicated  to  me  that 
that  was  exactly  the  thing  I  wanted.  Of  course  there  was  no 
thing  left  for  me  but  to  proceed  to  business,  and  I  began  scraping 
away  at  a  great  rate.  He  writhed  and  wriggled  under  the 
infliction,  but,  fully  convinced  of  my  skill,  endured  the  pain  like 
a  martyr. 

Though  I  never  saw  Narmonee  in  battle,  I  will,  from  what  I 
then  observed,  stake  my  life  upon  his  courage  and  fortitude. 
Before  commencing  operations,  his  head  had  presented  a  surface- 
of  short  bristling  hairs,  and  by  the  time  I  had  concluded  my 


CHAP,  xvi.]  SHAVING  A  CHIEF'S  HEAD.  155 

unskilful  operation  it  resembled  not  a  little  a  stubble  field  after 
being  gone  over  with  a  harrow.  However,  as  the  chief  expressed 
the  liveliest -satisfaction  at  the  result,  I  was  too  wise  to  dissent 
from  his  opinion. 


156  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.          [CHAP.  xvn. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Improvement  in  health  and  spirits — Felicity  of  the  Typees — Their  enjoy 
ments  compared  with  those  of  more  enlightened  communities — Compara 
tive  wickedness  of  civilized  and  unenlightened  people — A  skirmish  in 
the  mountain  with  the  warriors  of  Happar. 

DAY  after  day  wore  on,  and  still  there  was  no  perceptible  change 
in  the  conduct  of  the  Islanders  towards  me.  Gradually  I  lost 
all  knowledge  of  the  regular  recurrence  of  the  days  of  the  week, 
and  sunk  insensibly  into  that  kind  of  apathy  which  ensues  after 
some  violent  outbreak  of  despair.  My  limb  suddenly  healed,  the 
swelling  went  down,  the  pain  subsided,  and  I  had  every  reason 
to  suppose  I  should  soon  completely  recover  from  the  affliction 
that  had  so  long  tormented  me. 

As  soon  as  I  was  enabled  to  ramble  about  the  valley  in  com- 
pany  with  the  natives,  troops  of  whom  followed  me  whenever  I 
sallied  out  of  the  house,  I  began  to  experience  an  elasticity  of  mind 
which  placed  me  beyond  the  reach  of  those  dismal  forebodings 
to  which  I  had  so  lately  been  a  prey.  Received  wherever  I 
went  with  the  most  deferential  kindness;  regaled  perpetually 
with  the  most  delightful  fruits;  ministered  to  by  dark- eyed 
nymphs ;  and  enjoying  besides  all  the  services  of  the  devoted 
Kory-Kory,  I  thought  that,  for  a  sojourn  among  cannibals,  no  man 
could  have  well  made  a  more  agreeable  one.  « 

To  be  sure  there  were  limits  set  to  my  wanderings.  Toward 
the  sea  my  progress  was  barred  by  an  express  prohibition  of  the 
savages ;  and  after  having  made  two  or  three  ineffectual  attempts 
to  reach  it,  as  much  to  gratify  my  curiosity  as  anything  else,  1 
gave  up  the  idea.  It  was  in  vain  to  think  of  reaching  it  by 


CHAP,  xvii.]  CIVILIZED  AND  SAVAGE  LIFE  CONTRASTED.     157 

stealth,  since  the  natives  escorted  me  in  numbers  wherever  I 
went,  and  not  for  one  single  moment  that  I  can  recall  to  mind 
was  I  ever  permitted  to  be  alone. 

The  green  and  precipitous  elevations  that  stood  ranged  around 
the  head  of  the  vale  where  Marheyo's  habitation  was  situated 
effectually  precluded  all  hope  of  escape  in  that  quarter,  even  if  I 
could  have  stolen  away  from  the  thousand  eyes  of  the  savages. 

But  these  reflections  now  seldom  obtruded  upon  me ;  I  gave 
myself  up  to  the  passing  hour,  and  if  ever  disagreeable  thoughts 
arose  in  my  mind,  I  drove  them  away.  When  I  looked  around 
the  verdant  recess  in  which  I  was  buried,  and  gazed  up  to  the 
summits  of  the  lofty  eminence  that  hemmed  me  in,  I  was  well 
disposed  to  think  that  I  was  in  the  "  Happy  Valley,"  and  that 
beyond  those  heights  there  was  naught  but  a  world  of  care  and 
anxiety. 

As  I  extended  my  wanderings  in  the  valley  and  grew  more 
familiar  with  the  habits  of  its  inmates,  I  was  fain  to  confess  that, 
despite  the  disadvantages  of  his  condition,  the  Polynesian  savage, 
surrounded  by  all  the  luxurious  provisions  of  nature,  enjoyed  an 
infinitely  happier,  though  certainly  a  less  intellectual  existence, 
than  the  self-complacent  European. 

The  naked  wretch  who  shivers  beneath  the  bleak  skies,  and 
starves  among  the  inhospitable  wilds  of  Terra-del-Fuego,  might 
indeed  be  made  happier  by  civilisation,  for  it  would  alleviate  his 
physical  wants.  But  the  voluptuous  Indian,  with  every  desire 
supplied,  whom  Providence  has  bountifully  provided  with  all  the 
sources  of  pure  and  natural  enjoyment,  and  from  whom  are 
removed  so  many  of  the  ills  and  pains  of  life — what  has  he  to 
desire  at  the  hands  of  Civilisation  1  She  may  "  cultivate  his 
mind," — may  "  elevate  his  thoughts," — these  I  believe  are  the 
established  phrases — but  will  he  be  the  happier  ?  Let  the  once 
smiling  and  populous  Hawaiian  islands,  with  their  now  diseased, 
starving,  and  dying  natives,  answer  the  question.  The  mission- 


158  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.          [CHAP,  xvn 

aries  may  seek  to  disguise  the  matter  as  they  will,  but  the  facts 
are  incontrovertible  ;  and  the  devoutest  Christian  who  visits  that 
group  with  an  unbiased  mind,  must  go  away  mournfully  asking 
— "  Are  these,  alas  !  the  fruits  of  twenty-five  years  of  enlight 
ening  ?  " 

In  a  primitive  state  of  society,  the  enjoyments  of  life,  though 
few  and  simple,  are  spread  over  a  great  extent,  and  are  unal 
loyed  ;  but  Civilisation,  for  every  advantage  she  imparts,  holds 
a  hundred  evils  in  reserve  ; — the  heart-burnings,  the  jealousies, 
the  social  rivalries,  the  family  dissensions,  and  the  thousand  self- 
inflicted  discomforts  of  refined  life,  which  make  up  in  units  the 
swelling  aggregate  of  human  misery,  are  unknown  among  these 
unsophisticated  people. 

But  it  will  be  urged  that  these  shocking  unprincipled  wretches 
are  cannibals.  Very  true  ;  and  a  rather  bad  trait  in  their  cha 
racter  it  must  be  allowed.  But  they  are  such  only  when  they 
seek  to  gratify  the  passion  of  revenge  upon  their  enemies  ;  and  I 
ask  whether  the  mere  eating  of  human  flesh  so  very  far  exceeds 
in  barbarity  that  custom  which  only  a  few  years  since  was  prac 
tised  in  enlightened  England  : — a  convicted  traitor,  perhaps  a 
man  found  guilty  of  honesty,  patriotism,  and  suchlike  heinous 
crimes,  had  his  head  lopped  off*  with  a  huge  axe,  his  bowels 
dragged  out  and  thrown  into  a  fire  ;  while  his  body,  carved  into 
four  quarters,  was  with  his  head  exposed  upon  pikes,  and  permit 
ted  to  rot  and  fester  among  the  public  haunts  of  men  ! 

The  fiend-like  skill  we  display  in  the  invention  of  all  manner 
of  death-dealing  engines,  the  vindictiveness  with  which  we  parry 
on  our  wars,  and  the  misery  and  desolation  that  follow  in  their 
train,  are  enough  of  themselves  to  distinguish  the  white  civilized 
man  as  the  most  ferocious  animal  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 

His  remorseless  cruelty  is  seen  in  many  of  the  institutions  of 
our  own  favored  land.  There  is  one  in  particular  lately  adopted 
in  one  of  the  States  of  the  Union,  which  purports  to  have  been 


CHAP,  xvii.]  THEIR  HAPPINESS.  159 

dictated  by  the  most  merciful  considerations.  To  destroy  our 
malefactors  piece-meal,  drying  up  in  their  veins,  drop  by  drop, 
the  blood  we  are  too  chicken-hearted  to  shed  by  a  single  blow 
which  would  at  once  put  a  period  to  their  sufferings,  is  deemed 
to  be  infinitely  preferable  to  the  old-fashioned  punishment  of  gib 
beting — much  less  annoying  to  the  victim,  and  more  in  accord 
ance  with  the  refined  spirit  of  the  age  ;  and  yet  how  feeble  is  all 
language  to  describe  the  horrors  we  inflict  upon  these  wretches, 
whom  we  mason  up  in  the  cells  of  our  prisons,  and  condemn  to 
perpetual  solitude  in  the  very  heart  of  our  population ! 

But  it  is  needless  to  multiply  the  examples  of  civilized  bar 
barity  ;  they  far  exceed  in  the  amount  of  misery  they  cause  the 
crimes  which  we  regard  with  such  abhorrence  in  our  less  en 
lightened  fellow-creatures. 

The  term  "  Savage  "  is,  1  conceive,  often  misapplied,  and  in 
deed,  when  I  consider  the  vices,  cruelties,  and  enormities  of  every 
kind  that  spring  up  in  the  tainted  atmosphere  of  a  feverish  civi 
lisation,  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  so  far  as  the  relative  wicked 
ness  of  the  parties  is  concerned,  four  or  five  Marquesan  Islanders 
sent  to  the  United  States  as  Missionaries,  might  be  quite  as  useful 
as  an  equal  number  of  Americans  despatched  to  the  Islands  in  a 
similar  capacity. 

I  once  heard  it  given  as  an  instance  of  the  frightful  depravity 
of  a  certain  tribe  in  the  Pacific,  that  they  had  no  word  in  their 
language  to  express  the  idea  of  virtue.  The  assertion  was 
unfounded  ;  but  were  it  otherwise,  it  might  be  met  by  stating  that 
their  language  is  almost  entirely  destitute  of  terms  to  express 
the  delightful  ideas  conveyed  by  our  endless  catalogue  of  civilized 
crimes. 

In  the  altered  frame  of  mind  to  which  I  have  referred,  every 
object  that  presented  itself  to  my  notice  in  the  valley  struck  me 
in  a  new  light,  and  the  opportunities  I  now  enjoyed  of  observing 
the  manners  of  its  inmates,  tended  to  strengthen  my  favorable 


160  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.        [CHAP.  xvn. 

impressions.  One  peculiarity  that  fixed  my  admiration  was  the 
perpetual  hilarity  reigning  through  the  whole  extent  of  the  vale. 
There  seemed  to  be  no  cares,  griefs,  troubles,  or  vexations,  in  all 
Typee.  The  hours  tripped  along  as  gaily  as  the  laughing  couples 
down  a  country  dance. 

There  were  none  of  those  thousand  sources  of  irritation  that 
the  ingenuity  of  civilized  man  has  created  to  mar  his  own  felicity. 
There  were  no  foreclosures  of  mortgages,  no  protested  notes,  no 
bills  payable,  no  debts  of  honor  in  Typee  ;  no  unreasonable  tailors 
and  shoemakers,  perversely  bent  on  being  paid ;  no  duns  of  any 
description ;  no  assault  and  battery  attorneys,  to  foment  discord, 
backing  their  clients  up  to  a  quarrel,  and  then  knocking  their 
heads  together;  no  poor  relations,  everlastingly  occupying  the 
spare  bed-chamber,  and  diminishing  the  elbow  room  at  the  family 
table  ;  no  destitute  widows  with  their  children  starving  on  the 
cold  charities  of  the  world ;  no  beggars ;  no  debtors'  prisons ;  no 
proud  and  hard-hearted  nabobs  in  Typee  ;  or  to  sum  up  all  in  one 
word — no  Money  !  "  That  root  of  all  evil  "  was  not  to  be  found 
in  the  valley. 

In  this  secluded  abode  of  happiness  there  were  no  cross  old 
women,  no  cruel  step-dames,  no  withered  spinsters,  no  love-sick 
maidens,  no  sour  old  bachelors,  no  inattentive  husbands,  no  melan 
choly  young  men,  no  blubbering  youngsters,  and  no  squalling 
brats.  All  was  mirth,  fun,  and  high  good  humor.  Blue  devils, 
hypochondria,  and  doleful  dumps,  went  and  hid  themselves  among 
the  nooks  and  crannies  of  the  rocks. 

Here  you  would  see  a  parcel  of  children  frolicking  together  the 
live-long  day,  and  no  quarrelling,  no  contention,  among  them. 
The  same  number  in  our  own  land  could  not  have  played  together 
for  the  space  of  an  hour  without  biting  or  scratching  one  another. 
There  you  might  have  seen  a  throng  of  young  females,  not  filled 
with  envyings  of  each  other's  charms,  nor  displaying  the  ridicu 
lous  affectations  of  gentility,  nor  yet  moving  in  whalebone  corsets, 


CHAP,  xvii.]  THEIR  AMUSEMENTS.  161 

like  so  many  automatons,  but  free,  inartificially  happy,  and  un 
constrained. 

There  were  some  spots  in  that  sunny  vale  where  they  would 
frequently  resort  to  decorate  themselves  with  garlands  of  flowers. 
To  have  seen  them  reclining  beneath  the  shadows  of  one  of  the 
beautiful  groves;  the  ground  about  them  strewn  with  freshly 
gathered  buds  and  blossoms,  employed  in  weaving  chaplets  and 
necklaces,  one  would  have  thought  that  all  the  train  of  Flora 
had  gathered  together  to  keep  a  festival  in  honor  of  their  mistress. 

With  the  young  men  there  seemed  almost  always  some  matter 
of  diversion  or  business  on  hand  that  afforded  a  constant  variety 
of  enjoyment.  But  whether  fishing,  or  carving  canoes,  or  polish- 
ing  their  ornaments,  never  was  there  exhibited  the  least  sign  of 
strife  or  contention  among  them. 

As  for  the  warriors,  they  maintained  a  tranquil  dignity  of  de 
meanor,  journeying  occasionally  from  house  to  house,  where  they 
were  always  sure  to  be  received  with  the  attention  bestowed  upon 
distinguished  guests.  The  old  men,  of  whom  there  were  many  in 
the  vale,  seldom  stirred  from  their  mats,  where  they  would  recline 
for  hours  and  hours,  smoking  and  talking  to  one  another  with  all 
the  garrulity  of  age. 

But  the  continual  happiness,  which  so  far  as  I  was  able  to  judge 
appeared  to  prevail  in  the  valley,  sprung  principally  from  that  all- 
pervading  sensation  which  Rousseau  has  told  us  he  at  one  time 
experienced,  the  mere  buoyant  sense  of  a  healthful  physical  exist 
ence.  And  indeed  in  this  particular  the  Typees  had  ample  reason 
to  felicitate  themselves,  for  sickness  was  almost  unknown.  During 
the  whole  period  of  my  stay  I  saw  but  one  invalid  among  them  ; 
and  on  their  smooth  clear  skins  you  observed  no  blemish  or  mark 
of  disease. 

The  general  repose,  however,  upon  which  I  have  just  been 
descanting,  was  broken  in  upon  about  this  time  by  an  event 
which  proved  that  the  islanders  were  not  entirely  exempt  from 


162  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.          [CHAP.  xvn. 

those  occurrences  which  disturb  the  quiet  of  more  civilized  com 
munities. 

Having  now  been  a  considerable  time  in  the  valley,  I  began 
to  feel  surprised  that  the  violent  hostility  subsisting  between  its 
inhabitants,  and  those  of  the  adjoining  bay  of  Happar,  should 
never  have  manifested  itself  in  any  warlike  encounter.  Although 
the  valiant  Typees  would  often  by  gesticulations  declare  their 
undying  hatred  against  their  enemies,  and  the  disgust  they  felt  at 
their  cannibal  propensities  ;  although  they  dilated  upon  the  mani 
fold  injuries  they  had  received  at  their  hands,  yet  with  a  forbear 
ance  truly  commendable,  they  appeared  patiently  to  sit  down 
under  their  grievances,  and  to  refrain  from  making  any  reprisals. 
The  Happars,  entrenched  behind  their  mountains,  and  never  even 
showing  themselves  on  their  summits,  did  not  appear  to  me  to 
furnish  adequate  cause  for  that  excess  of  animosity  evinced  to 
wards  them  by  the  heroic  tenants  of  our  vale,  and  I  was  inclined 
to  believe  that  the  deeds  of  blood  attributed  to  them  had  been 
greatly  exaggerated. 

On  the  other  hand,  as  the  clamors  of  war  had  not  up  to  this 
period  disturbed  the  serenity  of  the  tribe,  I  began  to  distrust  the 
truth  of  those  reports  which  ascribed  so  fierce  and  belligerent  a 
character  to  the  Typee  nation.  Surely,  thought  I,  all  these  ter 
rible  stories  I  have  heard  about  the  inveteracy  with  which  they 
carried  on  the  feud,  their  deadly  intensity  of  hatred,  and  the  dia 
bolical  malice  with  which  they  glutted  their  revenge  upon  the 
inanimate  forms  of  the  slain,  are  nothing  more  than  fables,  and  I 
must  confess  that  I  experienced  something  like  a  sense  of  regret 
at  having  my  hideous  anticipations  thus  disappointed.  I  felt  in 
some  sort  like  a  'prentice  boy  who,  going  to  the  play  in  the  ex 
pectation  of  being  delighted  with  a  cut-and-thrust  tragedy,  is 
almost  moved  to  tears  of  disappointment  at  the  exhibition  of  a 
genteel  comedy. 

I  could  not  avoid  thinking  that  I  had  fallen  in  with  a  greatly 


.  xvn.]  A  CONFLICT.  163 

traduced  people,  and  I  moralized  not  a  little  upon  the  disadvantage 
of  having  a  bad  name,  which  in  this  instance  had  given  a  tribe  of 
savages,  who  were  as  pacific  as  so  many  lambkins,  the  reputation 
of  a  confederacy  of  giant-killers. 

But  subsequent  events  proved  that  I  had  been  a  little  too  prema 
ture  in  coming  to  this  conclusion.  One  day  about  noon,  happen 
ing  to  be  at  the  Ti,  I  had  lain  down  on  the  mats  with  several  of 
>he  chiefs,  and  had  gradually  sunk  into  a  most  luxurious  siesta, 
when  I  was  awakened  by  a  tremendous  outcry,  and  starting  up 
beheld  the  natives  seizing  their  spears  and  hurrying  out,  while 
the  most  puissant  of  the  chiefs,  grasping  the  six  muskets  which 
were  ranged  against  the  bamboos,  followed  after,  and  soon  disap 
peared  in  the  groves.  These  movements  were  accompanied  by 
wild  shouts,  in  which  "  Happar,  Happar,"  greatly  predominated. 
The  islanders  were  now  to  be  seen  running  past  the  Ti,  and 
striking  across  the  valley  to  the  Happar  side.  Presently  I  heard 
the  sharp  report  of  a  musket  from  the  adjoining  hills,  and  then  a 
burst  of  voices  in  the  same  direction.  At  this  the  women  who 
had  congregated  in  the  groves,  set  up  the  most  violent  clamors, 
as  they  invariably  do  here  as  elsewhere  on  every  occasion  of  ex 
citement  and  alarm,  with  a  view  of  tranquillizing  their  own  minds 
and  disturbing  other  people.  On  this  particular  occasion  they 
made  such  an  outrageous  noise,  and  continued  it  with  such  perse 
verance,  that  for  awhile,  had  entire  volleys  of  musketry  been  fired 
off  in  the  neighboring  mountains,  I  should  not  have  been  able  to 
have  heard  them. 

When  this  female  commotion  had  a  little  subsided  I  listened 
eagerly  for  further  information.  At  last  bang  went  another  shot, 
and  then  a  second  volley  of  yells  from  the  hills.  Again  all  was 
quiet,  and  continued  so  for  such  a  length  of  time  that  I  began  to 
think  the  contending  armies  had  agreed  upon  a  suspension  of  hos 
tilities  ;  when  pop  went  a  third  gun,  followed  as  before  with  a 
yell.  After  this,  for  nearly  two  hours  nothing  occurred  worthy 


164  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.        [CHAP,  xvn 

of  comment,  save  some  straggling  shouts  from  the  hill-side,  sound 
ing  like  the  halloos  of  a  parcel  of  truant  boys  who  had  lost  them 
selves  in  the  woods. 

During  this  interval  I  had  remained  standing  on  the  piazza  of 
the  "  Ti,"  which  directly  fronted  the  Happar  mountain,  and  with 
no  one  near  me  but  Kory-Kory  and  the  old  superannuated  savages 
I  have  before  described.  These  latter  never  stirred  from  their 
mats,  and  seemed  altogether  unconscious  that  anything  unusual 
was  going  on. 

As  for  Kory-Kory,  he  appeared  to  think  that  we  were  in  the 
midst  of  great  events,  and  sought  most  zealously  to  impress  me 
with  a  due  sense  of  their  importance.  Every  sound  that  reached 
us  conveyed  some  momentous  item  of  intelligence  to  him.  At 
such  times,  as  if  he  were  gifted  with  second  sight,  he  would  go 
through  a  variety  of  pantomimic  illustrations,  showing  me  the 
precise  manner  in  which  the  redoubtable  Typees  were  at  that 
very  moment  chastising  the  insolence  of  the  enemy.  "  Mehevi 
hanna  pippee  nuee  Happar,"  he  exclaimed  every  five  minutes, 
giving  me  to  understand  that  under  that  distinguished  captain  the 
warriors  of  his  nation  were  performing  prodigies  of  valor. 

Having  heard  only  four  reports  from  the  muskets,  I  was  led  to 
believe  that  they  were  worked  by  the  islanders  in  the  same  man 
ner  as  the  Sultan  Solyman's  ponderous  artillery  at  the  siege  of 
Byzantium,  one  of  them  taking  an  hour  or  two  to  load  and  train. 
At  last,  no  sound  whatever  proceeding  from  the  mountains,  I  con 
cluded  that  the  contest  had  been  determined  one  way  or  the  other. 
Such  appeared,  indeed,  to  be  the  case,  for  in  a  little  while  a  cou 
rier  arrived  at  the  "  Ti,"  almost  breathless  with  his  exertions, 
and  communicated  the  news  of  a  great  victory  having  been 
achieved  by  his  countrymen  :  "  Happar  poo  arva  ! — Happar  poo 
arva  !"  (the  cowards  had  fled).  Kory-Kory  was  in  ecstasies,  and 
commenced  a  vehement  harangue,  which,  so  far  as  I  understood 
it,  implied  that  the  result  exactly  agreed  with  his  expectations, 


CHAP,  xvn.]  THE  RESULT.  165 

and  which,  moreover,  was  intended  to  convince  me  that  it  would 
be  a  perfectly  useless  undertaking,  even  for  an  army  of  fire-eat 
ers,  to  offer  battle  to  the  irresistible  heroes  of  our  valley.  In  all 
this  I  of  course  acquiesced,  and  looked  forward  with  no  little 
interest  to  the  return  of  the  conquerors,  whose  victory  I  feared 
might  not  have  been  purchased  without  cost  to  themselves. 

But  here  I  was  again  mistaken  ;  for  Mehevi,  in  conducting  his 
warlike  operations,  rather  inclined  to  the  Fabian  than  to  the  Bona- 
partean  tactics,  husbanding  his  resources  and  exposing  his  troops 
to  no  unnecessary  hazards.  The  total  loss  of  the  victors  in  this 
obstinately  contested  affair  was,  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing — 
one  forefinger  and  part  of  a  thumb-nail  (which  the  late  proprietor 
brought  along  with  him  in  his  hand),  a  severely  contused  arm, 
and  a  considerable  effusion  of  blood  flowing  from  the  thigh  of  a 
chief,  who  had  received  an  ugly  thrust  from  a  Happar  spear. 
What  the  enenty  had  suffered  I  could  not  discover,  but  I  presume 
they  had  succeeded  in  taking  off  with  them  the  bodies  of  their 
slain. 

Such  was  the  issue  of  the  battle,  as  far  as  its  results  came 
under  my  observation  :  and  as  it  appeared  to  be  considered  an 
event  of  prodigious  importance,  I  reasonably  concluded  that  the 
wars  of  the  natives  were  marked  by  no  very  sanguinary  traits. 
I  afterwards  learned  how  the  skirmish  had  originated.  A  number 
of  the  Happars  had  been  discovered  prowling  for  no  good  purpose 
on  the  Typee  side  of  the  mountain ;  the  alarm  sounded,  and  the 
invaders,  after  a  protracted  resistance,  had  been  chased  over  the 
frontier.  But  why  had  not  the  intrepid  Mehevi  carried  the  war 
into  Happar  ?  Why  had  he  not  made  a  descent  into  the  hostile 
vale,  and  brought  away  some  trophy  of  his  victory — some  mate 
rials  for  the  cannibal  entertainment  which  I  had  heard  usually 
terminated  every  engagement  ?  After  all,  I  was  much  inclined 
to  believe  that  these  shocking  festivals  must  occur  very  rarely 
among  the  islanders,  if,  indeed,  they  ever  take  place. 


166  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.        [CHAP.  xvn. 

For  two  or  three  days  the  late  event  was  the  theme  of  general 
comment ;  after  which  the  excitement  gradually  wore  away,  and 
the  valley  resumed  its  accustomed  tranquillity. 


END  OF   PART   I. 


WILEY  &  PUTNAM'S 

LIBRARY  OF 

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A   PEEP   AT   POLYNESIAN    LIFE. 

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DURING  A 


FOUR  MONTHS'  RESIDENCE 


A  VALLEY  OF  THE  MARQUESAS; 


WITH   NOTICES   OF   THE    FRENCH   OCCUPATION   OF   TAHITI   AND 

THE    PROVISIONAL   CESSION   OF   THE   SANDWICH 

ISLANDS   TO    LORD   PAULET. 


BY    HERMAN    MELVILLE. 

PART  II. 

NEW  YORK: 
WILEY    AND    PUTNAM. 

LONDON: 
JOHN    MURRAY,    ALBEMARLE    STREET. 

1846. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1846,  by 

WILEY    &    PUTNAM, 

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T.  B.  SMITH,  Stereotype! 
230  William  Street. 


RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS, 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Swimming  in  company  with  the  Girls  of  the  Valley — A  Canoe — Effects  of 
the  Taboo — A  pleasure  Excursion  on  the  Pond — Beautiful  freak  of  Fay- 
away — Mantua-making — A  Stranger  arrives  in  the  Valley — His  mysteri 
ous  conduct — Native  Oratory — The  Interview — Its  Results — Departure 
of  the  Stranger. 

RETURNING  health  and  peace  of  mind  gave  a  new  interest  to  every 
thing  around  me.  I  sought  to  diversify  my  time  by  as  many 
enjoyments  as  lay  within  my  reach.  Bathing  in  company  with 
troops  of  girls  formed  one  of  my  chief  amusements.  We  some 
times  enjoyed  the  recreation  in  the  waters  of  a  miniature  lake, 
into  which  the  central  stream  of  the  valley  expanded.  This 
lovely  sheet  of  water  was  almost  circular  in  figure,  and  about 
three  hundred  yards  across.  ,  Its  beauty  was  indescribable.  All 
around  its  banks  waved  luxuriant  masses  of  tropical  foliage, 
soaring  high  above  which  were  seen,  here  and  there,  the  sym 
metrical  shaft  of  the  cocoa-nut  tree,  surmounted  by  its  tuft  of 
graceful  branches,  drooping  in  the  air  like  so  many  waving  ostrich 
plumes. 

The  ease  and  grace  with  which  the  maidens  of  the  valley  pro 
pelled  themselves  through  the  water,  and  their  familiarity  with 

9 


168  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  xvin. 

the  element,  were  truly  astonishing.  Sometimes  they  might  be  seen 
gliding  along  just  under  the  surface,  without  apparently  moving 
hand  or  foot ;  then  throwing  themselves  on  their  sides,  they  darted 
through  the  water,  revealing  glimpses  of  their  forms,  as,  in  the 
course  of  their  rapid  progress,  they  shot  for  an  instant  partly  into 
the  air ;  at  one  moment  they  dived  deep  down  into  the  water,  and 
the  next  they  rose  bounding  to  the  surface. 

I  remember  upon  one  occasion  plunging  in  among  a  parcel  of 
these  river-nymphs,  and  counting  vainly  on  my  superior  strength, 
sought  to  drag  some  of  them  under  the  water ;  but  I  quickly 
repented  my  temerity.  The  amphibious  young  creatures  swarm 
ed  about  me  like  a  shoal  of  dolphins,  and  seizing  hold  of  my 
devoted  limbs,  tumbled  me  about  and  ducked  me  under  the  surface, 
until  from  the  strange  noises  which  rang  in  my  ears,  and  the 
supernatural  visions  dancing  before  my  eyes,  I  thought  I  was  in 
the  land  of  spirits.  I  stood  indeed  as  little  chance  among  them 
as  a  cumbrous  whale  attacked  on  all  sides  by  a  legion  of  sword- 
fish.  When  at  length  they  relinquished  their  hold  of  me,  they 
swam  away  in  every  direction,  laughing  at  my  clumsy  endeavors 
to  reach  them. 

There  was  no  boat  on  the  lake ;  but  at  my  solicitation  and  for 
my  special  use,  some  of  the  young  men  attached  to  Marheyo's 
household,  under  the  direction  of  the  indefatigable  Kory-Kory, 
brought  up  a  light  and  tastefully  carved  canoe  from  the  sea.  It 
was  launched  upon  the  sheet  of  water,  and  floated  there  as  grace 
fully  as  a  swan..  But,  melancholy  to  relate,  it  produced  an  effect 
I  had  not  anticipated.  The  sweet  nymphs,  who  had  sported  with 
me  before  in  the  lake, now  all  fled  its  vicinity.  The  prohibited  craft, 
guarded  by  the  edicts  of  the  "  taboo,"  extended  the  prohibition  to 
the  waters  in  which  it  lay. 

For  a  few  days,  Kory-Kory,  with  one  or  two  other  youths,  ac 
companied  me  in  my  excursions  to  the  lake,  and  while  I  paddled 
about  in  my  light  canoe,  would  swim  after  me  shouting  and  gam- 


CHAP,  xvm  ]  THE  TABOO  RELAXED.  169 

boiling  in  pursuit.  But  I  was  ever  partial  to  what  is  termed  in 
the  "  Young  Men's  Own  Book" — "  the  society  of  virtuous  and  in 
telligent  young  ladies;"  and  in  the  absence  of  the  mermaids,  the 
amusement  became  dull  and  insipid.  One  morning  I  expressed 
to  my  faithful  servitor  my  desire  for  the  return  of  the  nymphs. 
The  honest  fellow  looked  at  me  bewildered  for  a  moment,  and  then 
shook  his  head  solemnly,  and  murmured  "  taboo  f  taboo  /"  giving 
me  to  understand  that  unless  the  canoe  was  removed,  I  could  not 
expect  to  have  the  young  ladies  back  again.  But  to  this  procedure 
I  was  averse  ;  I  not  only  wanted  the  canoe  to  stay  where  it  was, 
but  I  wanted  the  beauteous  Fayaway  to  get  into  it,  and  paddle 
with  me  about  the  lake.  This  latter  proposition  completely  horri 
fied  Kory-Kory's  notions  of  propriety.  He  inveighed  against  it, 
as  something  too  monstrous  to  be  thought  of.  It  not  only  shock 
ed  their  established  notions  of  propriety,  but  was  at  variance  with 
all  their  religious  ordinances. 

However,  although  the  "  taboo"  was  a  ticklish  thing  to  meddle 
with,  I  determined  to  test  its  capabilities  of  resisting  an  attack. 
I  consulted  the  chief  Mehevi,  who  endeavored  to  persuade  me 
from  jmy  object :  but  I  was  not  to  be  repulsed  ;  and  accordingly 
increased  the  warmth  of  my  solicitations.  At  last  he  entered  into 
a  long,  and  I  have  no  doubt  a  very  learned  and  eloquent  exposi 
tion  of  the  history  and  nature  of  the  "taboo"  as  affecting  this  par 
ticular  case ;  employing  a  variety  of  most  extraordinary  words, 
which,  from  their  amazing  length  and  sonorousness,  I  have  every 
reason  to  believe  were  of  a  theological  nature.  But  all  that  he 
said  failed  to  convince  me  :  partly,  perhaps,  because  I  could  not 
comprehend  a  word  that  he  uttered ;  but  chiefly,  that  for  the  life 
of  me  I  could  not  understand  why  a  woman  should  not  have  as 
much  right  to  enter  a  canoe  as  a  man.  At  last  he  became  a  little 
more  rational,  and  intimated  that,  out  of  the  abundant  love  he  bore 
me,  he  would  consult  with  the  priests  and  see  what  could  be  done. 
How  it  was  that  the  priesthood  of  Typee  satisfied  the  affair 


170  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.         [CHAP.  xvm. 

with  their  consciences,  I  know  not ;  but  so  it  was,  and  Fayaway's 
dispensation  from  this  portion  of  the  taboo  was  at  length  procured. 
Such  an  event  I  believe  never  before  had  occurred  in  the  valley ; 
but  it  was  high  time  the  islanders  should  be  taught  a  little  gal 
lantry,  and  I  trust  that  the  example  I  set  them  may  produce 
beneficial  effects.  Ridiculous,  indeed,  that  the  lovely  creatures 
should  be  obliged  to  paddle  about  in  the  water,  like  so  many 
ducks,  while  a  parcel  of  great  strapping  fellows  skimmed  over  its 
surface  in  their  canoes. 

The  first  day  after  Fayaway's  emancipation,  I  had  a  delightful 
little  party  on  the  lake — the  damsel,  Kory-Kory,  and  myself.  My 
zealous  body-servant  brought  from  the  house  a  calabash  of  poee- 
poee,  half  a  dozen  young  cocoa-nuts — stripped  of  their  husks — 
three  pipes,  as  many  yams,  and  me  on  his  back  a  part  of  the  way. 
Something  of  a  load ;  but  Kory-Kory  was  a  very  strong  man  for 
his  size,  and  by  no  means  brittle  in  the  spine.  We  had  a  very 
pleasant  day  ;  my  trusty  valet  plied  the  paddle  and  swept  us 
gently  along  the  margin  of  the  water,  beneath  the  shades  of  the 
overhanging  thickets.  Fayaway  and  I  reclined  in  the  stern  of  the 
canoe,  on  the  very  best  terms  possible  with  one  another ;  the  gen 
tle  nymph  occasionally  placing  her  pipe  to  her  lip,  and  exhaling 
the  mild  fumes  of  the  tobacco,  to  which  her  rosy  breath  added  a 
fresh  perfume.  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  there  is  nothing  in  which 
a  young  and  beautiful  female  appears  to  more  advantage  than  in 
the  act  of  smoking.  How  captivating  is  a  Peruvian  lady,  swing 
ing  in  her  gaily- woven  hammock  of  grass,  extended  between  two 
orange-trees,  and  inhaling  the  fragrance  of  a  choice  cigarro ! 
But  Fayaway,  holding  in  her  delicately-formed  olive  hand  the 
long  yellow  reed  of  her  pipe,  with  its  quaintly  carved  bowl,  and 
every  few  moments  languishingly  giving  forth  light  wreaths  of 
vapor  from  her  mouth  and  nostrils,  looked  still  more  engaging. 

We  floated  about  thus  for  several  hours,  when  I  looked  up  to 
the  warm,  glowing,  tropical  sky,  and  then  down  into  the  transpa- 


I 

I 


CHAP,  xvin.]  BEAUTIFUL  LAKE.  171 

rent  depths  below  ;  and  when  my  eye,  wandering  from  the  be 
witching  scenery  around,  fell  upon  the  grotesquely-tattooed  form 
of  Kory-Kory,  and  finally  encountered  the  pensive  gaze  of  Faya- 
way,  I  thought  I  had  been  transported  to  some  fairy  region,  so 
unreal  did  everything  appear. 

This  lovely  piece  of  water  was  the  coolest  spot  in  all  the  val 
ley,  and  I  now  made  it  a  place  of  continual  resort  during  the  hot 
test  period  of  the  day.  One  side  of  it  lay  near  the  termination  of 
a  long  gradually  expanding  gorge,  which  mounted  to  the  heights 
that  environed  the  vale.  The  strong  trade  wind,  met  in  its 
course  by  these  elevations,  circled  and  eddied  about  their  sum 
mits,  and  was  sometimes  driven  down  the  steep  ravine  and  swept 
across  the  valley,  ruffling  in  its  passage  the  otherwise  tranquil 
surface  of  the  lake. 

One  day,  after  we  had  been  paddling  about  for  some  time,  I 
disembarked  Kory-Kory,  and  paddled  the  canoe  to  the  windward 
side  of  the  lake.  As  I  turned  the  canoe,  Fayaway,  who  was  with 
me,  seemed  all  at  once  to  be  struck  with  some  happy  idea.  With 
a  wild  exclamation  of  delight,  she  disengaged  from  her  person  the 
ample  robe  of  tappa  which  was  knotted  over  her  shoulder  (for  the 
purpose  of  shielding  her  from  the  sun),  and  spreading  it  out  like 
a  sail,  stood  erect  with  upraised  arms  in  the  head  of  the  canoe. 
We  American  sailors  pride  ourselves  upon  our  straight  clean 
spars,  but  a  prettier  little  mast  than  Fayaway  made  was  never 
shipped  aboard  of  any  craft. 

In  a  moment  the  tappa  was  distended  by  the  breeze — the  long 
brown  tresses  of  Fayaway  streamed  in  the  air — and  the  canoe 
glided  rapidly  through  the  water,  and  shot  towards  the  shore. 
Seated  in  the  stern,  I  directed  its  course  with  my  paddle  until  it 
dashed  up  the  soft  sloping  bank,  and  Fayaway,  with  alight  spring, 
alighted  on  the  ground ;  whilst  Kory-Kory,  who  had  watched  our 
manoeuvres  with  admiration,  now  clapped  his  hands  in  transport, 


172  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.      [CHAP.  xvm. 

and  shouted  like  a  madman.  Many  a  time  afterwards  was  this 
feat  repeated. 

If  the  reader  have  not  observed  ere  this  that  I  was  the  declared 
admirer  of  Miss  Fayaway,  all  I  can  say  is,  that  he  is  little  con 
versant  with  affairs  of  the  heart,  and  I  certainly  shall  not  trouble 
myself  to  enlighten  him  any  farther.  Out  of  the  calico  I  had 
brought  from  the  ship  I  made  a  dress  for  this  lovely  girl.  In  it 
she  looked,  I  must  confess,  something  like  an  opera-dancer.  The 
drapery  of  the  latter  damsel  generally  commences  a  little  above 
the  elbows,  but  my  island  beauty's  began  at  the  waist,  and  termi 
nated  sufficiently  far  above  the  ground  to  reveal  the  most  be 
witching  ankle  in  the  universe. 

The  day  that  Fayaway  first  wore  this  robe  was  rendered  me 
morable  by  a  new  acquaintance  being  introduced  to  me.  In  the 
afternoon  I  was  lying  in  the  house,  when  I  heard  a  great  uproar 
outside ;  but  being  by  this  time  pretty  well  accustomed  to  the  wild 
halloos  which  were  almost  continually  ringing  through  the  valley, 
I  paid  little  attention  to  it,  until  old  Marheyo,  under  the  influence 
of  some  strange  excitement,  rushed  into  my  presence  and  com 
municated  the  astounding  tidings,  "  Marnoo  pemi !"  which  being 
interpreted,  implied  that  an  individual  by  the  name  of  Marnoo 
was  approaching.  My  worthy  old  friend  evidently  expected  that 
this  intelligence  would  produce  a  great  effect  upon  me,  and  for  a 
time  he  stood  earnestly  regarding  me,  as  if  curious  to  see  how  1 
should  conduct  myself,  but  as  I  remained  perfectly  unmoved,  the 
old  gentleman  darted  out  of  the  house  again,  in  as  great  a  hurry 
as  he  had  entered  it. 

"  Marnoo,  Marnoo,"  cogitated  I,  "  I  have  never  heard  that 
name  before.  Some  distinguished  character,  I  presume,  from  the 
prodigious  riot  the  natives  are  making ;"  the  tumultuous  noise 
drawing  nearer  and  nearer  every  moment,  while  "  Marnoo  ! — 
Marnoo !"  was  shouted  by  every  tongue. 

I  made  up  my  mind  that  some  savage  warrior  of  consequence, 


CHAP,  xvin.]  A  NEW  ACQUAINTANCE.  173 

who  had  not  yet  enjoyed  the  honor  of  an  audience,  was  desirous 
of  paying  his  respects  on  the  present  occasion.  So  vain  had  I 
become  by  the  lavish  attention  to  which  I  had  been  accustomed, 
that  I  felt  half  inclined,  as  a  punishment  for  such  neglect,  to  give 
this  Marnoo  a  cold  reception,  when  the  excited  throng  came 
within  view,  convoying  one  of  the  most  striking  specimens  of 
humanity  that  I  ever  beheld. 

The  stranger  could  not  have  been  more  than  twenty-five  years 
of  age,  and  was  a  little  above  the  ordinary  height ;  had  he  been  a 
single  hair's  breadth  taller,  the  matchless  symmetry  of  his  form 
would  have  been  destroyed.  His  unclad  limbs  were  beautifully 
formed  ;  whilst  the  elegant  outline  of  his  figure,  together  with  his 
beardless  cheeks,  might  have  entitled  him  to  the  distinction  of 
standing  for  the  statue  of  the  Polynesian  Apollo ;  and  indeed  the 
oval  of  his  countenance  and  the  regularity  of  every  feature  re 
minded  me  of  an  antique  bust.  But  the  marble  repose  of  art  was 
supplied  by  a  warmth  and  liveliness  of  expression  only  to  be  seen 
in  the  South  Sea  Islander  under  the  most  favorable  developments 
of  nature.  The  hair  of  Marnoo  was  a  rich  curling  brown,  and 
twined  about  his  temples  and  neck  in  little  close  curling  ringlets, 
which  danced  up  and  down  continually  when  he  was  animated  in 
conversation.  His  cheek  was  of  a  feminine  softness,  and  his  face 
was  free  from  the  least  blemish  of  tattooing,  although  the  rest  of 
his  body  was  drawn  all  over  with  fanciful  figures,  which — unlike 
the  unconnected  sketching  usual  among  these  natives— appeared 
to  have  been  executed  in  conformity  with  some  general  design. 

The  tattooing  on  his  back  in  particular  attracted  my  attention. 
The  artist  employed  must  indeed  have  excelled  in  his  profession. 
Traced  along  the  course  of  the  spine  was  accurately  delineated 
the  slender,  tapering,  and  diamond-checkered  shaft  of  the  beautiful 
"  artu"  tree.  Branching  from  the  stem  on  either  side,  and  dis 
posed  alternately,  were  the  graceful  branches  drooping  with 
leaves  all  correctly  drawn,  and  elaborately  finished.  Indeed,  this 


174  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  xvm. 

piece  of  tattooing  was  the  best  specimen  of  the  Fine  Arts  I  had 
yet  seen  in  Typee.  A  rear  view  of  the  stranger  might  have  sug 
gested  the  idea  of  a  spreading  vine  tacked  against  a  garden  wall. 
Upon  his  breast,  arms  and  legs,  were  exhibited  an  infinite  variety 
of  figures  ;  every  one  of  which,  however,  appeared  to  have  refer- 
ence  to  the  general  effect  sought  to  be  produced.  The  tattooing 
I  have  described  was  of  the  brightest  blue,  and  when  contrasted 
with  the  light  olive-color  of  the  skin,  produced  an  unique  and 
even  elegant  effect.  A  slight  girdle  of  white  tappa,  scarcely  two 
inches  in  width,  but  hanging  before  and  behind  in  spreading  tas 
sels,  composed  the  entire  costume  of  the  stranger. 

He  advanced  surrounded  by  the  islanders,  carrying  under  one 
arm  a  small  roll  of  the  native  cloth,  and  grasping  in  his  other 
hand  a  long  and  richly  decorated  spear.  His  manner  was  that  of 
a  traveller  conscious  that  he  is  approaching  a  comfortable  stage 
in  his  journey.  Every  moment  he  turned  good-humoredly  to 
the  throng  around  him,  and  gave  some  dashing  sort  of  reply  to 
their  incessant  queries,  which  appeared  to  convulse  them  with 
uncontrollable  mirth. 

Struck  by  his  demeanor,  and  the  peculiarity  of  his  appearance, 
so  unlike  that  of  the  shaven-crowned  and  face-tattooed  natives  in 
general,  I  involuntarily  rose  as  he  entered  the  house,  and  prof 
fered  him  a  seat  on  the  mats  beside  me.  But  without  deigning 
to  notice  the  civility,  or  even  the  more  incontrovertible  fact  of 
my  existence,  the  stranger  passed  on,  utterly  regardless  of  me, 
and  flung  himself  upon  the  further  end  of  the  long  couch  that 
traversed  the  sole  apartment  of  Marheyo's  habitation. 

Had  the  belle  of  the  season,  in  the  pride  of  her  beauty  and 
power,  been  cut  in  a  place  of  public  resort  by  some  supercilious 
exquisite,  she  could  not  have  felt  greater  indignation  than  I  did 
at  this  unexpected  slight. 

1  was  thrown  into  utter  astonishment.  The  conduct  of  the 
savages  had  prepared  me  to  anticipate  from  every  new  comer  the 


CHAP,  xvm.]  MARNOO'S  HARANGUE.  175 

same  extravagant  expressions  of  curiosity  and  regard.  The  sin 
gularity  of  his  conduct,  however,  only  roused  my  desire  to 
discover  who  this  remarkable  personage  might  be,  who  now 
engrossed  the  attention  of  every  one. 

Tinor  placed  before  him  a  calabash  of  poee-poee,  from  which 
the  stranger  regaled  himself,  alternating  every  mouthful  with 
some  rapid  exclamation,  which  was  eagerly  caught  up  and  echoed 
by  the  crowd  that  completely  filled  the  house.  When  I  observed 
the  striking  devotion  of  the  natives  to  him,  and  their  temporary 
withdrawal  of  all  attention  from  myself,  I  felt  not  a  little  piqued. 
The  glory  of  Tommo  is  departed,  thought  I,  and  the  sooner  he 
removes  from  the  valley  the  better.  These  were  my  feelings 
at  the  moment,  and  they  were  prompted  by  that  glorious  prin 
ciple  inherent  in  all  heroic  natures — the  strong. rooted  determination 
to  have  the  biggest  share  of  the  pudding  or  to  go  without  any  of  it. 

Marnoo,  this  all -attractive  personage,  having  satisfied  his 
hunger,  and  inhaled  a  few  whiffs  from  a  pipe  which  was  handed 
to  him,  launched  out  into  an  harangue  which  completely  en 
chained  the  attention  of  his  auditors. 

Little  as  I  understood  of  the  language,  yet  from  his  animated 
gestures  and  the  varying  expression  of  his  features — reflected  as 
from  so  many  mirrors  in  the  countenances  around  him,  I  could 
easily  discover  the  nature  of  those  passions  which  he  sought  to 
arouse.  From  the  frequent  recurrence  of  the  words  "  Nuku- 
heva "  and  "  France "  (French),  and  some  others  with  the 
meaning  of  which  I  was  acquainted,  he  appeared  to  be  rehearsing 
to  his  auditors  events  which  had  recently  occurred  in  the  neigh 
boring  bays.  But  how  he  had  gained  the  knowledge  of  these 
matters  I  could  not  understand,  unless  it  were  that  he  had  just 
come  from  Nukuheva — a  supposition  which  his  travel-stained 
appearance  not  a  little  supported.  But,  if  a  native  of  that  region, 
I  could  not  account  for  his  friendly  reception  at  the  hands  of  the 
Typees. 

o* 


176  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  XVIIL 

Never,  certainly,  had  I  beheld  so  powerful  an  exhibition  of 
natural  eloquence  as  Marnoo  displayed  during  the  course  of  his 
oration.  The  grace  of  the  attitudes  into  which  he  threw  his 
flexible  figure,  the  striking  gestures  of  his  naked  arms,  and  above 
all,  the  fire  which  shot  from  his  brilliant  eyes,  imparted  an  effect 
to  the  continually  changing  accents  of  his  voice,  of  which  the 
most  accomplished  orator  might  have  been  proud.  At  one  mo 
ment  reclining  sideways  upon  the  mat,  and  leaning  calmly  upon 
his  bended  arm,  he  related  circumstantially  the  aggressions  of  the 
French — their  hostile  visits  to  the  surrounding  bays,  enumerating 
each  one  in  succession — Happar,  Puerka,  Nukuheva,  Tior, — and 
then  starting  to  his  feet  and  precipitating  himself  forward  with 
clenched  hands  and  a  countenance  distorted  with  passion,  he 
poured  out  a  tide  of  invectives.  Falling  back  into  an  attitude  of 
lofty  command,  he  exhorted  the  Typees  to  resist  these  encroach 
ments  ;  reminding  them,  with  a  fierce  glance  of  exultation,  that 
as  yet  the  terror  of  their  name  had  preserved  them  from  attack, 
and  with  a  scornful  sneer  he  sketched  in  ironical  terms  the  won 
drous  intrepidity  of  the  French,  who,  with  five  war-canoes  and 
hundreds  of  men,  had  not  dared  to  assail  the  naked  warriors  of 
their  valley. 

The  effect  he  produced  upon  his  audience  was  electric ;  one 
and  all  they  stood  regarding  him  with  sparkling  eyes  and  trem 
bling  limbs,  as  though  they  were  listening  to  the  inspired  voice 
of  a  prophet. 

But  it  soon  appeared  that  Marnoo's  powers  were  as  versatile  as 
they  were  extraordinary.  As  soon  as  he  had  finished  his  vehe 
ment  harangue,  he  threw  himself  again  upon  the  mats,  and, 
singling  out  individuals  in  the  crowd,  addressed  them  by  name, 
in  a  sort  of  bantering  style,  the  humor  of  which,  though  nearly 
hidden  from  me,  filled  the  whole  assembly  with  uproarious 
delight. 

He  had  a  word  for  everybody  ;  and,  turning  rapidly  from  one 


CHAP,  xvni.]  MORE  PERPLEXTIES.  177 

to  another,  gave  utterance  to  some  hasty  witticism,  which  was 
sure  to  be  followed  by  peals  of  laughter.  To  the  females,  as 
well  as  to  the  men,  he  addressed  his  discourse.  Heaven  only 
knows  what  he  said  to  them,  but  he  caused  smiles  and  blushes  to 
mantle  their  ingenuous  faces.  I  am,  indeed,  very  much  inclined 
to  believe  that  Marnoo,  with  his  handsome  person  and  captivat 
ing  manners,  was  a  sad  deceiver  among  the  simple  maidens  of 
the  island. 

During  all  this  time  he  had  never,  for  one  moment,  deigned  to 
regard  me.  He  appeared,  indeed,  to  be  altogether  unconscious 
of  my  presence.  I  was  utterly  at  a  loss  how  to  account  for  this 
extraordinary  conduct.  I  easily  perceived  that  he  was  a  man  of 
no  little  consequence  among  the  islanders  ;  that  he  possessed  un 
common  talents  ;  and  was  gifted  with  a  higher  degree  of  know 
ledge  than  the  inmates  of  the  valley.  For  these  reasons,  I 
therefore  greatly  feared  lest  having,  from  some  cause  or  other, 
unfriendly  feelings  towards  me,  he  might  exert  his  powerful  in 
fluence  to  do  me  mischief. 

It  seemed  evident  that  he  was  not  a  permanent  resident  of  the 
vale,  and  yet,  whence  could  he  have  come  ?  On  all  sides  the 
Typees  were  girt  in  by  hostile  tribes,  and  how  could  he  pos 
sibly,  if  belonging  to  any  of  these,  be  received  with  so  much 
cordiality  1 

The  personal  appearance  of  the  enigmatical  stranger  suggested 
additional  perplexities.  The  face,  free  from  tattooing,  and  the 
unshaven  crown,  were  peculiarities  I  had  never  before  remarked 
in  any  part  of  the  island,  and  I  had  always  heard  that  the  con 
trary  were  considered  the  indispensable  distinctions  of  a  Mar- 
quesan  warrior.  Altogether  the  matter  was  perfectly  incompre 
hensible  to  me,  and  I  awaited  its  solution  with  no  small  degree  of 
anxiety. 

At  length,  from  certain  indications,  I  suspected  that  he  was 
making  me  the  subject  of  his  remarks,  although  he  appeared 


178  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  xvm. 

cautiously  to  avoid  either  pronouncing  my  name,  or  looking  in 
the  direction  where  I  lay.  All  at  once  he  rose  from  the  mats 
where  he  had  been  reclining,  and,  still  conversing,  moved  towards 
me,  his  eye  purposely  evading  mine,  and  seated  himself  within 
less  than  a  yard  of  me.  I  had  hardly  recovered  from  my  sur 
prise,  when  he  suddenly  turned  round,  and,  with  a  most  benig 
nant  countenance,  extended  his  right  hand  gracefully  towards  me. 
Of  course  I  accepted  the  courteous  challenge,  and,  as  soon  as  our 
palms  met,  he  bent  towards  me,  and  murmured  in  musical  ac 
cents, — "  How  you  do  ?"  "  How  long  you  been  in  this  bay  ?" 
"  You  like  this  bay  ?" 

Had  I  been  pierced  simultaneously  by  three  Happar  spears,  I 
could  not  have  started  more  than  I  did  at  hearing  these  simple 
questions  !  For  a  moment  I  was  overwhelmed  with  astonish 
ment,  and  then  answered  something  I  know  not  what ;  but  as 
soon  as  I  regained  my  self-possession,  the  thought  darted  through 
my  mind  that  from  this  individual  I  might  obtain  that  informa 
tion  regarding  Toby  which  I  suspected  the  natives  had  purposely 
withheld  from  me.  Accordingly  I  questioned  him  concerning 
the  disappearance  of  my  companion,  but  he  denied  all  knowledge 
of  the  matter.  I  then  inquired  from  whence  he  had  come  ? 
He  replied,  from  Nukuheva.  When  I  expressed  my  surprise,  he 
looked  at  me  for  a  moment,  as  if  enjoying  my  perplexity,  and 
then,  with  his  strange  vivacity,  exclaimed, — "  Ah  !  me  taboo. — 
me  go  Nukuheva, — me  go  Tior, — me  go  Typee, — me  go  every 
where, — nobody  harm  me, — me  taboo." 

This  explanation  would  have  been  altogether  unintelligible  to 
me,  had  it  not  recalled  to  my  mind  something  I  had  previously 
heard  concerning  a  singular  custom  among  these  islanders. 
Though  the  country  is  possessed  by  various  tribes,  whose  mutual 
hostilities  almost  wholly  preclude  any  intercourse  between  them ; 
yet  there  are  instances  where  a  person  having  ratified  friendly 
relations  with  some  individual  belonging  to  the  valley,  whose  in- 


CHAP,  xviii.]  AN  INTERVIEW  179 

mates  are  at  war  with  his  own,  may,  under  particular  restrictions, 
venture  with  impunity  into  the  country  of  his  friend,  where, 
under  other  circumstances,  he  would  have  been  treated  as  an 
enemy.  In  this  light  are  personal  friendships  regarded  among 
them,  and  the  individual  so  protected  is  said  to  be  "taboo,"  and 
his  person,  to  a  certain  extent,  is  held  as  sacred.  Thus  the 
stranger  informed  me  he  had  access  to  all  the  valleys  in  the  island. 

Curious  to  know  how  he  had  acquired  his  knowledge  of  Eng 
lish,  I  questioned  him  on  the  subject.  At  first,  for  some  reason 
or  other,  he  evaded  the  inquiry,  but  afterwards  told  me  that,  when 
a  boy,  he  had  been  carried  to  sea  by  the  captain  of  a  trading  ves 
sel,  with  whom  he  had  stayed  three  years,  living  part  of  the  time 
with  him  at  Sidney,  in  Australia,  and  that,  at  a  subsequent  visit 
to  the  island,  the  captain  had,  at  his  own  request,  permitted  him 
to  remain  among  his  countrymen.  The  natural  quickness  of  the 
savage  had  been  wonderfully  improved  by  his  intercourse  with 
the  white  men,  and  his  partial  knowledge  of  a  foreign  language 
gave  him  a  great  ascendency  over  his  less  accomplished  coun 
trymen. 

When  I  asked  the  now  affable  Marnoo  why  it  was  that  he  had 
not  previously  spoken  to  me,  he  eagerly  inquired  what  I  had  been 
led  to  think  of  him  from  his  conduct  in  that  respect.  I  replied, 
that  I  had  supposed  him  to  be  some  great  chief  or  warrior,  who 
had  seen  plenty  of  white  men  before,  and  did  not  think  it  worth 
while  to  notice  a  poor  sailor.  At  this  declaration  of  the  exalted 
opinion  I  had  formed  of  him,  he  appeared  vastly  gratified,  and 
gave  me  to  understand  that  he  had  purposely  behaved  in  that 
manner,  in  order  to  increase  my  astonishment,  as  soon  as  he  should 
see  proper  to  address  me. 

Marnoo  now  sought  to  learn  my  ve'rsion  of  the  story  as  to  how 
I  came  to  be  an  inmate  of  the  Typee  valley.  When  I  related  to 
him  the  circumstances  under  which  Toby  and  I  had  entered  it, 
he  listened  with  evident  interest ;  but  as  soon  as  I  alluded  to  the 


130  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  xvm. 

absence,  yet  unaccounted  for,  of  my  comrade,  he  endeavored  to 
change  the  subject,  as  if  it  were  something  he  desired  not  to  agi 
tate.  It  seemed,  indeed,  as  if  everything  connected  with  Toby 
was  destined  to  beget  distrust  and  anxiety  in  my  bosom.  Not- 
withstanding  Marnoo's  denial  of  any  knowledge  of  his  fate,  I 
could  not  avoid  suspecting  that  he  was  deceiving  me  ;  and  this 
suspicion  revived  those  frightful  apprehensions  with  regard  to 
my  own  fate,  which,  for  a  short  time  past,  had  subsided  in  my 
breast. 

Influenced  by  these  feelings,  I  now  felt  a  strong  desire  to  avail 
myself  of  the  stranger's  protection,  and  under  his  safeguard  to 
return  to  Nukuheva.  But  as  soon  as  I  hinted  at  this,  he  unhesi 
tatingly  pronounced  it  to  be  entirely  impracticable;  assuring  me 
that  the  Typees  would  never  consent  to  my  leaving  the  valley. 
Although  what  he  said  merely  confirmed  the  impression  which  I 
had  before  entertained,  still  it  increased  my  anxiety  to  escape  from 
a  captivity,  which,  however  endurable,  nay,  delightful  it  might  be 
in  some  respects,  involved  in  its  issues  a  fate  marked  by  the  most 
frightful  contingencies. 

I  could  not  conceal  from  my  mmd  that  Toby  had  been  treated 
in  the  same  friendly  manner  as  I  had  been,  and  yet  all  their  kind 
ness  terminated  with  his  mysterious  disappearance.  Might  not  the 
same  fate  await  me  ? — a  fate  too  dreadful  to  think  of.  Stimulated 
by  these  considerations,  I  urged  anew  my  request  to  Marnoo  ;  but 
he  only  set  forth  in  stronger  colors  the  impossibility  of  my  escape, 
and  repeated  his  previous  declaration  that  the  Typees  would  never 
be  brought  to  consent  to  my  departure. 

When  I  endeavored  to  learn  from  him  the  motives  which 
prompted  them  to  hold  me  a  prisoner,  Marnoo  again  assumed  that 
mysterious  tone  which  had  tormented  me  with  apprehensions 
when  I  had  questioned  him  with  regard  to  the  fate  of  my  com 
panion. 

Thus  repulsed,  in  a  manner  which  only  served,  by  arousing  the 


CHAP,  xviii.]  CONDUCT  OF  THE  NATIVES.  181 

most  dreadful  forebodings,  to  excite  me  to  renewed  attempts,  I  con 
jured  him  to  intercede  for  me  with  the  natives,  and  endeavor  to 
procure  their  consent  to  my  leaving  them.  To  this  he  appeared 
strongly  averse  ;  but,  yielding  at  last  to  my  importunities,  he  ad 
dressed  several  of  the  chiefs,  who  with  the  rest  had  been  eyeing 
us  intently  during  the  whole  of  our  conversation.  His  petition, 
however,  was  at  once  met  with  the  most  violent  disapprobation, 
manifesting  itself  in  angry  glances  and  gestures,  and  a  perfect 
torrent  of  passionate  words,  directed  to  both  him  and  myself. 
Marnoo,  evidently  repenting  the  step  he  had  taken,  earnestly  de 
precated  the  resentment  of  the  crowd,  and  in  a  few  moments  suc 
ceeded  in  pacifying  to  some  extent  the  clamors  which  had  broken 
out  as  soon  as  his  proposition  had  been  understood. 

With  the  most  intense  interest  had  I  watched  the  reception  his 
intercession  might  receive  ;  and  a  bitter  pang  shot  through  my 
heart  at  the  additional  evidence,  now  furnished,  of  the  unchange 
able  determination  of  the  islanders.  Marnoo  told  me,  with  evi 
dent  alarm  in  his  countenance,  that  although  admitted  into  the 
bay  on  a  friendly  footing  with  its  inhabitants,  he  could  not  pre 
sume  to  meddle  with  their  concerns,  as  such  a  procedure,  if  per 
sisted  in,  would  at  once  absolve  the  Typees  from  the  restraints  of 
the  "  Taboo,"  although  so  long  as  he  refrained  from  any  such 
conduct,  it  screened  him  effectually  from  the  consequences  of  the 
enmity  they  bore  his  tribe. 

At  this  moment,  Mehevi,  who  was  present,  angrily  interrupted 
him  ;  and  the  words  which  he  uttered,  in  a  commanding  tone, 
evidently  meant  that  he  must  at  once  cease  talking  to  me,  and 
withdraw  to  the  other  part  of  the  house.  Marnoo  immediately 
started  up,  hurriedly  enjoining  me  not  to  address  him  again,  and, 
as  I  valued  my  safety,  to  refrain  from  all  further  allusion  to  the 
subject  of  my  departure  ;  and  then,  in  compliance  with  the  order 
of  the  determined  chief,  but  not  before  it  had  again  been  angrily 
repeated,  he  withdrew  to  a  distance. 


182  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  xvm. 

I  now  perceived,  with  no  small  degree  of  apprehension,  the 
same  savage  expression  in  the  countenances  of  the  natives  which 
had  startled  me  during  the  scene  at  the  Ti.  They  glanced  their 
eyes  suspiciously  from  Marnoo  to  me,  as  if  distrusting  the  nature 
of  an  intercourse  carried  on,  as  it  was,  in  a  language  they  could 
not  understand,  and  they  seemed  to  harbor  the  belief  that  already 
we  had  concerted  measures  calculated  to  elude  their  vigilance. 

The  lively  countenances  of  these  people  are  wonderfully  indi 
cative  of  the  emotions  of  the  soul,  and  the  imperfections  of  their 
oral  language  are  more  than  compensated  for  by  the  nervous  elo 
quence  of  their  looks  and  gestures.  I  could  plainly  trace,  in 
every  varying  expression  of  their  faces,  all  those  passions  which 
had  been  thus  unexpectedly  aroused  in  their  bosoms. 

It  required  no  reflection  to  convince  me,  from  what  was  going 
on,  that  the  injunction  of  Marnoo  was  not  to  be  rashly  slighted  ; 
and  accordingly,  great  as  was  the  effort  to  suppress  my  feelings, 
I  accosted  Mehevi  in  a  good-humored  tone,  with  a  view  of  dissi 
pating  any  ill  impression  he  might  have  received.  But  the  ire 
ful,  angry  chief  was  not  so  easily  mollified.  He  rejected  my 
advances  with  that  peculiarly  stern  expression  I  have  before  de 
scribed,  and  took  care  by  the  whole  of  his  behavior  towards  me  to 
show  the  displeasure  and  resentment  which  he  felt. 

Marnoo,  at  the  other  extremity  of  the  house,  apparently  desi 
rous  of  making  a  diversion  in  my  favor,  exerted  himself  to  amuse 
with  his  pleasantries  the  crowd  about  him  ;  but  his  lively  attempts 
were  not  so  successful  as  they  had  previously  been,  and,  foiled  in 
his  efforts,  he  rose  gravely  to  depart.  No  one  expressed  any  re 
gret  at  this  movement,  so  seizing  his  roll  of  tappa,  and  grasping 
his  spear,  he  advanced  to  the  front  of  the  pi-pi,  and  waving  his 
hand  in  adieu  to  the  now  silent  throng,  cast  upon  me  a  glance  of 
mingled  pity  and  reproach,  and  flung  himself  into  the  path  which 
led  from  the  house.  I  watched  his  receding  figure  until  it  was 
lost  in  the  obscurity  of  the  greve,  and  then  gave  myself  up  to  the 
most  desponding  reflections. 


CHAP,  xix.]  REFLECTIONS.  18? 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Reflections   after   Marnoo's  departure — Battle   of  the  Pop-guns — Strange 
conceit  of  Marheyo — Process  of  making  Tappa. 

THE  knowledge  I  had  now  obtained  as  to  the  intention  of  the 
savages  deeply  affected  me. 

Marnoo,  I  perceived,  was  a  man  who,  by  reason  of  his  superior 
acquirements,  and  the  knowledge  he  possessed  of  the  events  which 
were  taking  place  in  the  different  bays  of  the  island,  was  held  in 
no  little  estimation  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  valley.  He  had 
been  received  with  the  most  cordial  welcome  and  respect.  The 
natives  had  hung  upon  the  accents  of  his  voice,  and  had  mani 
fested  the  highest  gratification  at  being  individually  noticed  %by 
him.  And  yet,  despite  all  this,  a  few  words  urged  in  my  behalf, 
with  the  intent  of  obtaining  my  release  from  captivity,  had 
sufficed  not  only  to  banish  all  harmony  and  good-will ;  but,  if  I 
could  believe  what  he  told  me,  had  gone  nigh  to  endanger  his  own 
personal  safety. 

How  strongly  rooted,  then,  must  be  the  determinatioa  of  the 
Typees  with  regard  to  me,  and  how  suddenly  could  they  display 
the  strangest  passions !  The  mere  suggestion  of  my  departure 
had  estranged  from  me,  for  the  time  at  least,  Mehevi,  who  was 
the  most  influential  of  all  the  chiefs,  and  who  had  previously 
exhibited  so  many  instances  of  his  friendly  sentiments.  The  rest 
of  the  natives  had  likewise  evinced  their  strong  repugnance  to 
my  wishes,  and  even  Kory-Kory  himself  seemed  to  share  in  the 
general  disapprobation  bestowed  upon  me. 

In  vain  I  racked  my  invention  to  find  out  some  motive  for  the 


184  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.         [CHAP.  xix. 

strange  desire  these  people  manifested  to  retain  me  among  them  ; 
but  I  could  discover  none. 

But  however  this  might  be,  the  scene  which  had  just  occurred 
admonished  me  of  the  danger  of  trifling  with  the  wayward  and 
passionate  spirits  against  whom  it  was  vain  to  struggle,  and 
might  even  be  fatal  to  do  so.  My  only  hope  was  to  induce  the 
natives  to  believe  that  I  was  reconciled  to  my  detention  in  the 
valley,  and  by  assuming  a  tranquil  and  cheerful  demeanor,  to 
allay  the  suspicions  which  I  had  so  unfortunately  aroused.  Their 
confidence  revived,  they  might  in  a  short  time  remit  in  some 
degree  their  watchfulness  over  my  movements,  and  I  should  then 
be  the  better  enabled  to  avail  myself  of  any  opportunity  which 
presented  itself  for  escape.  I  determined,  therefore,  to  make  the 
best  of  a  bad  bargain,  and  to  bear  up  manfully  against  whatever 
might  betide.  In  this  endeavor  I  succeeded  beyond  my  own 
expectations,.  At  the  period  of  Marnoo's  visit,  I  had  been  in 
the  valley,  as  nearly  as  I  could  conjecture,  some  two  months. 
Although  not  completely  recovered  from  my  strange  illness,  which 
still  lingered  about  me,  I  was  free  from  pain  and  able  to  take  ex 
ercise.  In  short,  I  had  every  reason  to  anticipate  a  perfect  re 
covery.  Freed  from  apprehensions  on  this  point,  and  resolved  to 
regard  the  future  without  flinching,  I  flung  myself  anew  into  all 
the  social  pleasures  of  the  valley,  and  sought  to  bury  all  regrets, 
and  all  remembrances  of  my  previous  existence,  in  the  wild  enjoy 
ments  it  afforded. 

In  my  various  wanderings  through  the  vale,  and  as  I  became 
better  acquainted  with  the  character  of  its  inhabitants,  I  was 
more  and  more  struck  with  the  light-hearted  joyousness  that 
everywhere  prevailed.  The  minds  of  these  simple  savages, 
unoccupied  by  matters  of  graver  moment,  were  capable  of  deriv 
ing  the  utmost  delight  from  circumstances  which  would  have 
passed  unnoticed  in  more  intelligent  communities.  All  their 
enjoyment,  indeed,  seemed  to  be  made  up  of  the  little  trifling 


CHAP,  xix.]  MANUFACTURE  OF  POP-GUNS.  185 

incidents  of  the  passing  hour  •  hut  these  diminutive  items  swelled 
altogether  to  an  amount  of  happiness  seldom  experienced  by  more 
enlightened  individuals,  whose  pleasures  are  drawn  from  more 
elevated  but  rarer  sources. 

What  community,  for  instance,  of  refined  and  intellectual 
mortals  would  derive  the  least  satisfaction  from  shooting  pop 
guns  ?  The  mere  supposition  of  such  a  thing  being  possible 
would  excite  their  indignation,  and  yet  the  whole  population  of 
Typee  did  little  else  for  ten  days  but  occupy  themselves  with  that 
childish  amusement,  fairly  screaming,  too,  with  the  delight  it  af 
forded  them. 

One  day  I  was  frolicking  with  a  little  spirited  urchin,  some  six 
years  old,  who  chased  me  with  a  piece  of  bamboo  about  three  feet 
long,  with  which  he  occasionally  belabored  me.  Seizing  the 
stick  from  him,  the  idea  happened  to  suggest  itself,  that  I  might 
make  for  the  youngster,  out  of  the  slender  tube,  one  of  those 
nursery  muskets  with  which  I  had  sometimes  seen  children  play 
ing.  Accordingly,  with  my  knife  I  made  two  parallel  slits  in 
the  cane  several  inches  in  length,  and  cutting  loose  at  one  end 
the  elastic  strip  between  them,  bent  it  back  and  slipped  the  point 
into  a  little  notch  made  for  the  purpose.  Any  small  substance 
placed  against  this  would  be  projected  with  considerable  force 
through  the  tube,  by  merely  springing  the  bent  strip  out  of  the 
notch. 

Had  I  possessed  the  remotest  idea  of  the  sensation  this  piece 
of  ordnance  was  destined  to  produce,  I  should  certainly  have 
taken  out  a  patent  for  the  invention.  The  boy  scampered  away 
with  it,  half  delirious  with  ecstasy,  and  in  twenty  minutes  after 
wards  I  might  have  been  seen  surrounded  by  a  noisy  crowd — ven 
erable  old  greybeards — responsible  fathers  of  families — valiant 
warriors — matron? — young  men — girls  and  children,  all  holding  in 
their  hands  bits  of  bamboo,  and  each  clamoring  to  be  served  first. 

For  three  or  four  hours  I  was  engaged  in  manufacturing  pop- 


186  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.         [CHAP.  xix. 

guns,  but  at  last  made  over  my  good- will  and  interest  in  the  con 
cern  to  a  lad  of  remarkably  quick  parts,  whom  I  soon  initiated  into 
the  art  and  mystery. 

Pop,  Pop,  Pop,  Pop,  now  resounded  all  over  the  valley.  Duels, 
skirmishes,  pitched  battles,  and  general  engagements  were  to  be 
seen  on  every  side.  Here,  as  you  walked  along  a  path  which 
led  through  a  thicket,  you  fell  into  a  cunningly-laid  ambush, 
and  became  a  target  for  a  body  of  musketeers  whose  tattooed 
limbs  you  could  just  see  peeping  into  view  through  the  foliage. 
There,  you  were  assailed  by  the  intrepid  garrison  of  a  house, 
who  levelled  their  bamboo  rifles  at  you  from  between  the  upright 
canes  which  composed  its  sides.  Farther  on  you  were  fired 
upon  by  a  detachment  of  sharpshooters,  mounted  upon  the  top  of 
a  pi-pi. 

Pop,  Pop,  Pop,  Pop !  green  guavas,  seeds,  and  berries  were 
flying  about  in  every  direction,  and  during  this  dangerous  state  of 
affairs  I  was  half  afraid  that,  like  the  man  and  his  brazen  bull,  I 
should  fall  a  victim  to  my  own  ingenuity.  Like  everything  else, 
however,  the  excitement  gradually  wore  away,  though  ever  after 
occasionally  pop-guns  might  be  heard  at  all  hours  of  the  day. 

It  was  towards  the  close  of  the  pop-gun  war,  that  I  was  infinitely 
diverted  with  a  strange  freak  of  Marheyo's. 

I  had  worn,  when  I  quitted  the  ship,  a  pair  of  thick  pumps, 
which,  from  the  rough  usage  they  had  received  in  scaling  preci 
pices  and  sliding  down  gorges,  were  so  dilapidated  as  to  be  alto 
gether  unfit  for  use — so,  at  least,  would  have  thought  the  gene 
rality  of  people,  and  so  they  most  certainly  were,  when  considered 
in  the  light  of  shoes.  But  things  unserviceable  in  one  way,  may 
with  advantage  be  applied  in  another,  that  is,  if  one  have  genius 
enough  for  the  purpose.  This  genius  Marheyo  possessed  in  a 
superlative  degree,  as  he  abundantly  evinced  by  the  use  to  which 
he  put  these  sorely  bruised  and  battered  old  shoes. 

Every  article,  however  trivial,  which   belonged  to  me,  the 


CHAP,  xix.]  MARHEYO'S  PENDANTS.  187 

natives  appeared  to  regard  as  sacred ;  and  I  observed  that  for 
several  days  after  becoming  an  inmate  of  the  house,  my  pumps 
were  suffered  to  remain,  untouched,  where  I  had  first  happened 
to  throw  them.  I  remembered,  however,  that  after  awhile  I  had 
missed  them  from  their  accustomed  place ;  but  the  matter  gave 
me  no  concern,  supposing  that  Tinor — like  any  other  tidy  house 
wife,  having  come  across  them  in  some  of  her  domestic  occupa 
tions — had  pitched  the  useless  things  out  of  the  house.  But  I  was 
soon  undeceived. 

One  day  I  observed  old  Marheyo  bustling  about  me  with  un 
usual  activity,  and  to  such  a  degree  as  almost  to  supersede  Kory- 
Kory  in  the  functions  of  his  office.  One  moment  he  volunteered 
to  trot  off  with  me  on  his  back  to  the  stream ;  and  when  I  refused, 
noways  daunted  by  the  repulse,  he  continued  to  frisk  about  me 
like  a  superannuated  house-dog.  I  could  not  for  the  life  of  me 
conjecture  what  possessed  the  old  gentleman,  until  all  at  once, 
availing  himself  of  the  temporary  absence  of  the  household,  he 
went  through  a  variety  of  uncouth  gestures,  pointing  eagerly 
down  to  my  feet,  and  then  up  to  a  little  bundle  which  swung  from 
the  ridge  pole  overhead.  At  last  I  caught  a  faint  idea  of  his 
meaning,  and  motioned  him  to  lower  the  package.  He  executed 
the  order  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  and  unrolling  a  piece  of 
tappa,  displayed  to  my  astonished  gaze  the  identical  pumps  which 
I  thought  had  been  destroyed  long  before. 

I  immediately  comprehended  his  desire,  and  very  generously 
gave  him  the  shoes,  which  had  become  quite  mouldy,  wondering 
for  what  earthly  purpose  he  could  want  them. 

The  same  afternoon  I  descried  the  venerable  warrior  approach 
ing  the  house,  with  a  slow,  stately  gait,  ear-rings  in  ears,  and 
spear  in  hand,  with  this  highly  ornamental  pair  of  shoes  suspended 
from  his  neck  by  a  strip  of  bark,  and  swinging  backwards  and 
forwards  on  his  capacious  chest.  In  the  gala  costume  of  the 


188  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.          [CHAP.  xix. 

tasteful  Marheyo,  these  calf-skin  pendants  ever  after  formed  the 
most  striking  feature. 

But  to  turn  to  something  a  little  more  important.  Although 
the  whole  existence  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  valley  seemed  to 
pass  away  exempt  from  toil,  yet  there  were  some  light  employ 
ments  which,  although  amusing  rather  than  laborious  as  occupa 
tions,  contributed  to  their  comfort  and  luxury.  Among  these,  the 
most  important  was  the  manufacture  of  the  native  cloth, — "  tap- 
pa," — so  well  known,  under  various  modifications,  throughout 
the  whole  Polynesian  Archipelago.  As  is  generally  understood, 
this  useful  and  sometimes  elegant  article  is  fabricated  from  the 
bark  of  different  trees.  But,  as  I  believe  that  no  description  of 
its  manufacture  has  ever  been  given,  I  shall  state  what  I  know 
regarding  it. 

In  the  manufacture  of  the  beautiful  white  tappa  generally 
worn  on  the  Marquesan  Islands,  the  preliminary  operation  consists 
in  gathering  a  certain  quantity  of  the  young  branches  of  the 
cloth-tree.  The  exterior  green  bark  being  pulled  off  as  worth 
less,  there  remains  a  slender  fibrous  substance,  which  is  carefully 
stripped  from  the  stick,  to  which  it  closely  adheres.  When  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  it  has  been  collected,  the  various  strips  are 
enveloped  in  a  covering  of  large  leaves,  which  the  natives  use 
precisely  as  we  do  wrapping-paper,  and  which  are  secured  by  a 
few  turns  of  a  line  passed  round  them.  The  package  is  then 
laid  in  the  bed  of  some  running  stream,  with  a  heavy  stone  placed 
over  it,  to  prevent  its  being  swept  away.  After  it  has  remained 
for  two  or  three  days  in  this  state,  it  is  drawn  out,  and  exposed, 
for  a  short  time,  to  the  action  of  the  air,  every  distinct  piece 
being  attentively  inspected,  with  a  view  of  ascertaining  whether 
it  has  yet  been  sufficiently  affected  by  the  operation.  This  is 
repeated  again  and  again,  until  the  desired  result  is  obtained. 

When  the  substance  is  in  a  proper  state  for  the  next  process, 
it  betrays  evidences  of  incipient  decomposition ;  the  fibres  are 


CHAP,  xix.]  « TAPPA  "—NATIVE  CLOTH.  189 

relaxed  and  softened,  and  rendered  perfectly  malleable.  The 
different  strips  are  now  extended,  one  by  one,  in  successive  layers, 
upon  some  smooth  surface — generally  the  prostrate  trunk  of  a 
cocoa-nut  tree — and  the  heap  thus  formed  is  subjected,  at  every 
new  increase,  to  a  moderate  beating,  with  a  sort  of  wooden  mal 
let,  leisurely  applied.  The  mallet  is  made  of  a  hard  heavy  wood 
resembling  ebony,  is  about  twelve  inches  in  length,  and  perhaps 
two  in  breadth,  with  a  rounded  handle  at  one  end,  and  in  shape 
is  the  exact  counterpart  of  one  of  our  four-sided  razor-strops. 
The  flat  surfaces  of  the  implement  are  marked  with  shallow 
parallel  indentations,  varying  in  depth  on  the  different  sides,  so 
as  to  be  adapted  to  the  several  stages  of  the  operation.  These 
marks  produce  the  corduroy  sort  of  stripes  discernible  in  the  tappa 
in  its  finished  state.  After  being  beaten  in  the  manner  I  have 
described,  the  material  soon  becomes  blended  in  one  mass,  which, 
moistened  occasionally  with  water,  is  at  intervals  hammered  out, 
by  a  kind  of  gold-beating  process,  to  any  degree  of  thinness  re. 
quired.  In  this  way  the  cloth  is  easily  made  to  vary  in  strength 
and  thickness,  so  as  to  suit  the  numerous  purposes  to  which  it  is 
applied. 

When  the  operation  last  described  has  been  concluded,  the 
new-made  tappa  is  spread  out  on  the  grass  to  bleach  and  dry, 
and  soon  becomes  of  a  dazzling  whiteness.  Sometimes,  in  the 
first  stages  of  the  manufacture,  the  substance  is  impregnated  with 
a  vegetable  juice,  which  gives  it  a  permanent  color.  A  rich 
brown  and  a  bright  yellow  are  occasionally  seen,  but  the  simple 
taste  of  the  Typee  people  inclines  them  to  prefer  the  natural 
tint. 

The  notable  wife  of  Kammahammaha,  the  renowned  conqueror 
and  king  of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  used  to  pride  herself  in  the 
skill  she  displayed  in  dyeing  her  tappa  with  contrasting  colors  dis 
posed  in  regular  figures  ;  and,  in  the  midst  of  the  innovations  of 
the  times,  was  regarded,  towards  the  decline  of  her  life,  as  a  lady 


190  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.          [CHAP.  xix. 

of  the  old  school,  clinging  as  she  did  to  the  national  cloth,  in  pre 
ference  to  the  frippery  of  the  European  calicoes.  But  the  art 
of  printing  the  tappa  is  unknown  upon  the  Marquesan  Islands. 

In  passing  along  the  valley,  I  was  often  attracted  by  the  noise 
of  the  mallet,  which,  when  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  the 
cloth,  produces  at  every  stroke  of  its  hard,  heavy  wood,  a  clear, 
ringing,  and  musical  sound,  capable  of  being  heard  at  a  great 
distance.  When  several  of  these  implements  happen  to  be  in 
operation  at  the  same  lime,  and  near  one  another,  the  effect  upon 
the  ear  of  a  person,  at  a  little  distance,  is  really  charming. 


CHAP,  xx.]  HISTORY  OF  A  DAY. 


191 


CHAPTER  XX. 

History  of  a  day  as  usually  spent  in  the  Typee  Valley— Dances  of  the 
Marquesan  Girls. 

NOTHING  can  be  more  uniform  and  undiversified  than  the  life 
of  the  Typees ;  one  tranquil  day  of  ease  and  happiness  follows 
another  in  quiet  succession;  and  with  these  unsophisticated 
savages  the  history  of  a  day  is  the  history  of  a  life.  I  will, 
therefore,  as  briefly  as  I  can,  describe  one  of  our  days  in  the 
valley. 

To  begin  with  the  morning.  We  were  not  very  early  risers 
— the  sun  would  be  shooting  his  golden  spikes  above  the  Happar 
mountain,  ere  I  threw  aside  my  tappa  robe,  and  girding  my  long 
tunic  about  my  waist,  sallied  out  with  Fayaway  and  Kory-Kory, 
and  the  rest  of  the  household,  and  bent  my  steps  towards  the 
stream.  Here  we  found  congregated  all  those  who  dwelt  in  our 
section  of  the  valley  ;  and  here  we  bathed  with  them.  The 
fresh  morning  air  and  the  cool  flowing  waters  put  both  soul  and 
body  in  a  glow,  and  after  a  half-hour  employed  in  this  recreation, 
we  sauntered  back  to  the  house — Tinor  and  Marheyo  gathering 
dry  sticks  by  the  way  for  fire-wood  ;  some  of  the  young  men 
laying  the  cocoa-nut  trees  under  contribution  as  they  passed  be 
neath  them ;  while  Kory-Kory  played  his  outlandish  pranks  for 
my  particular  diversion,  and  Fayaway  and  I,  not  arm  in  arm  to 
be  sure,  but  sometimes  hand  in  hand,  strolled  along,  with  feelings 
of  perfect  charity  for  all  the  world,  and  especial  goodwill  towards 
each  other. 

Our  morning  meal  was  soon  prepared.  The  islanders  are 
somewhat  abstemious  at  this  repast ;  reserving  the  more  powerful 

10 


192  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xx. 

efforts  of  their  appetite  to  a  later  period  of  the  day.  For  my 
own  part,  with  the  assistance  of  my  valet,  who,  as  I  have  before 
stated,  always  officiated  as  spoon  on  these  occasions,  I  ate 
sparingly  from  one  of  Tinor's  trenchers  of  poee-poee  ;  which 
was  devoted  exclusively  for  my  own  use,  being  mixed  with  the 
milky  meat  of  ripe  cocoa-nut.  A  section  of  a  roasted  bread-fruit. 
a  small  cake  of  "  Amar,"  or  a  mess  of  "  Cokoo,"  two  or  three 
bananas,  or  a  Mawmee  apple  ;  an  annuee,  or  some  other  agree 
able  and  nutritious  fruit  served  from  day  to  day  to  diversify  the 
meal,  which  was  finished  by  tossing  off  the  liquid  contents  of  a 
young  cocoa-nut  or  two. 

While  partaking  of  this  simple  repast,  the  inmates  of  Marheyo's 
house,  after  the  style  of  the  ancient  Romans,  reclined  in  sociable 
groups  upon  the  divan  of  mats,  and  digestion  was  promoted  by 
cheerful  conversation. 

After  the  morning  meal  was  concluded,  pipes  were  lighted  ; 
and  among  them  my  own  especial  pipe,  a  present  from  the  noble 
Mehevi.  The  islanders,  who  only  smoke  a  whiff  or  two  at  a 
time,  and  at  long  intervals,  and  wrho  keep  their  pipes  going  from 
hand  to  hand  continually,  regarded  my  systematic  smoking  of 
four  or  five  pipefuls  of  tobacco  in  succession,  as  something  quite 
wonderful.  When  two  or  three  pipes  had  circulated  freely,  the 
company  gradually  broke  up.  Marheyo  went  to  the  little  hut  he 
was  for  ever  building.  Tinor  began  to  inspect  her  rolls  of  tappa, 
or  employed  her  busy  fingers  in  plaiting  grass-mats.  The  girls 
anointed  themselves  with  their  fragrant  oils,  dressed  their  hair, 
or  looked  over  their  curious  finery,  and  compared  together  their 
ivory  trinkets,  fashioned  out  of  boar's  tusks  or  whale's  teeth. 
The  young  men  and  warriors  produced  their  spears,  paddles, 
canoe-gear,  battle-clubs,  and  war-conchs,  and  occupied  them 
selves  in  carving  all  sorts  of  figures  upon  them  with  pointed  bits 
of  shell  or  flint,  and  adorning  them,  especially  the  war-conchs, 
with  tassels  of  braided  bark  and  tufts  of  human  hair.  Some, 


CHAP,  xx.]  MORNING  OCCUPATIONS.  193 

immediately  after  eating,  threw  themselves  once  more  upon  the 
inviting  mats,  and  resumed  the  employment  of  the  previous  night, 
sleeping  as  soundly  as  if  they  had  not  closed  their  eyes  for  a 
week.  Others  sallied  out  into  the  groves,  for  the  purpose  of 
gathering  fruit  or  fibres  of  bark  and  leaves  ;  the  last  two  being 
in  constant  requisition,  and  applied  to  a  hundred  uses.  A  few, 
perhaps,  among  the  girls,  would  slip  into  the  woods  after  flowers, 
or  repair  to  the  stream  with  small  calabashes  and  cocoa-nut 
shells,  in  order  to  polish  them  by  friction  with  a  smooth  stone 
in  the  water.  In  truth  these  innocent  people  seemed  to  be  at 
no  loss  for  something  to  occupy  their  time ;  and  it  would  be 
no  light  task  to  enumerate  all  their  employments,  or  rather 
pleasures. 

My  own  mornings  I  spent  in  a  variety  of  ways.  Sometimes  I 
rambled  about  from  house  to  house,  sure  of  receiving  a  cordial 
welcome  wherever  I  went ;  or  from  grove  to  grove,  and  from  one 
shady  place  to  another,  in  company  with  Kory-Kory  and  Faya- 
way,  and  a  rabble  rout  of  merry  young  idlers.  Sometimes  I 
was  too  indolent  for  exercise,  and  accepting  one  of  the  many  in 
vitations  I  was  continually  receiving,  stretched  myself  out  on  the 
mats  of  some  hospitable  dwelling,  and  occupied  myself  pleasantly 
either  in  watching  the  proceedings  of  those  around  me  or  taking 
part  in  them  myself.  Whenever  I  chose  to  do  the  latter,  the 
delight  of  the  islanders  was  boundless  ;  and  there  was  always  a 
throng  of  competitors  for  the  honor  of  instructing  me  in  any 
particular  craft.  I  soon  became  quite  an  accomplished  hand  at 
making  tappa — could  braid  a  grass  sling  as  well  as  the  best  of 
them — and  once,  with  my  knife,  carved  the  handle  of  a  javelin 
so  exquisitely,  that  I  have  no  doubt,  to  this  day,  Karnoonoo,  its 
owner,  preserves  it  as  a  surprising  specimen  of  my  skill.  As 
noon  approached,  all  those  who  had  wandered  forth  from  our 
habitation,  began  to  return ;  and  when  mid-day  was  fairly  come 
scarcely  a  sound  was  to  be  heard  in  the  valley :  a  deep  sleep  fell 


194  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xx. 

upon  all.  The  luxurious  siesta  was  hardly  ever  omitted>  except 
by  old  Marheyo,  who  was  so  eccentric  a  character,  that  he 
seemed  to  be  governed  by  no  fixed  principles  whatever  ;  but  act- 
ing  just  according  to  the  humor  of  the  moment,  slept,  eat,  or 
tinkered  away  at  his  little  hut,  without  regard  to  the  proprieties 
of  time  or  place.  Frequently  he  might  have  been  seen  taking 
a  nap  in  the  sun  at  noon-day,  or  a  bath  in  the  stream  at  mid 
night.  Once  I  beheld  him  perched  eighty  feet  from  the  ground, 
in  the  tuft  of  a  cocoa-nut  tree,  smoking ;  and  often  I  saw  him 
standing  up  to  the  waist  in  water,  engaged  in  plucking  out  the 
stray  hairs  of  his  beard,  using  a  piece  of  muscle-shell  for 
tweezers. 

The  noon-tide  slumber  lasted  generally  an  hour  and  a  half; 
very  often  longer ;  and  after  the  sleepers  had  arisen  from  their 
mats  they  again  had  recourse  to  their  pipes,  and  then  made  pre 
parations  for  the  most  important  meal  of  the  day. 

I,  however,  like  those  gentlemen  of  leisure  who  breakfast  at 
home  and  dine  at  their  club,  almost  invariably,  during  my  inter 
vals  of  health,  enjoyed  the  afternoon  repast  with  the  bachelor 
chiefs  of  the  Ti,  who  were  always  rejoiced  to  see  me,  and  lavishly 
spread  before  me  all  the  good  things  which  their  larder  afforded. 
Mehevi  generally  produced  among  other  dainties  a  baked  pig, 
an  article  which  I  have  every  reason  to  suppose  was  provided  for 
my  sole  gratification. 

The  Ti  was  a  right  jovial  place.  It  did  my  heart,  as  well  as 
my  body,  good  to  visit  it.  Secure  from  female  intrusion,  there 
was  no  restraint  upon  the  hilarity  of  the  warriors,  who,  like  the 
gentlemen  of  Europe  after  the  cloth  is  drawn  and  the  ladies  retire, 
freely  indulged  their  mirth. 

After  spending  a  considerable  portion  of  the  afternoon  at  the 
Ti,  I  usually  found  myself,  as  the  cool  of  the  evening  came  on, 
either  sailing  on  the  little  lake  with  Fayaway,  or  bathing  in  the 
waters  of  the  stream  with  a  number  of  the  savages,  who,  at  this 


CHAP,  xx.]  EVENING  FESTIVITIES.  195 

hour,  always  repaired  thither.  As  the  shadows  of  night  ap 
proached,  Marheyo's  household  were  once  more  assembled  under 
his  roof:  tapers  were  lit,  long  and  curious  chants  were  raised, 
interminable  stories  were  told  (for  which  one  present  was  little 
the  wiser),  and  all  sorts  of  social  festivities  served  to  while  away 
the  time. 

The  young  girls  very  often  danced  by  moonlight  in  front  of 
their  dwellings.  There  are  a  great  variety  of  these  dances,  in 
which,  however,  I  never  saw  the  men  take  part.  They  all  con 
sist  of  active,  romping,  mischievous  evolutions,  in  which  every 
limb  is  brought  into  requisition.  Indeed,  the  Marquesan  girls 
dance  all  over,  as  it  were ;  not  only  do  their  feet  dance,  but  their 
arms,  hands,  fingers,  ay,  their  very  eyes,  seem  to  dance  in  their 
heads. 

The  damsels  wear  nothing  but  flowers  and  their  compendious 
gala  tunics ;  and  when  they  plume  themselves  for  the  dance, 
they  look  like  a  band  of  olive-colored  Sylphides  on  the  point  of 
taking  wing. 

Unless  some  particular  festivity  was  going  forward,  the  inmates 
of  Marheyo's  house  retired  to  their  mats  rather  early  in  the 
evening ;  but  not  for  the  night,  since,  after  slumbering  lightly  for 
a  while,  they  rose  again,  relit  their  tapers,  partook  of  the  third 
and  last  meal  of  the  day,  at  which  poee-poee  alone  was  eaten, 
and  then,  after  inhaling  a  narcotic  whiff  from  a  pipe  of  tobacco, 
disposed  themselves  for  the  great  business  of  night,  sleep.  With 
the  Marquesans  it  might  almost  be  styled  the  great  business  of 
life,  for  they  pass  a  large  portion  of  their  time  in  the  arms  of 
Somnus.  The  native  strength  of  their  constitution  is  no  way 
shown  more  emphatically  than  in  the  quantity  of  sleep  they  can 
endure.  To  many  of  them,  indeed,  life  is  little  else  than  an 
often  interrupted  and  luxurious  nap. 


196  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xxi. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

The  Spring  of  Arva  Wai — Remarkable  Monumental  Remains — Some  ideas 
with  regard  to  the  History  of  the  Pi -Pis  found  in  the  Valley. 

ALMOST  every  country  has  its  medicinal  springs  famed  for  their 
healing  virtues.  The  Cheltenham  of  Typee  is  embosomed  in 
the  deepest  solitude,  and  but  seldom  receives  a  visitor.  It  is 
situated  remote  from  any  dwelling,  a  little  way  up  the  mountain, 
near  the  head  of  the  valley  ;  and  you  approach  it  by  a  pathway 
shaded  by  the  most  beautiful  foliage,  and  adorned  with  a  thousand 
fragrant  plants. 

The  mineral  waters  of  Arva  Wai*  ooze  forth  from  the  crevices 
of  a  rock,  and  gliding  down  its  mossy  side,  fall  at  last,  in  many 
clustering  drops,  into  a  natural  basin  of  stone  fringed  round  with 
grass  and  dewy-looking  little  violet-colored  flowers,  as  fresh 
and  beautiful  as  the  perpetual  moisture  they  enjoy  can  make 
them. 

The  water  is  held  in  high  estimation  by  the  islanders,  some  of 
whom  consider  it  an  agreeable  as  well  as  a  medicinal  beverage ; 
they  bring  it  from  the  mountain  in  their  calabashes,  and  store  it 
away  beneath  heaps  of  leaves  in  some  shady  nook  near  the  house. 
Old  Marheyo  had  a  great  love  for  the  waters  of  the  spring. 
Every  now  and  then  he  lugged  off  to  the  mountain  a  great  round 
demijohn  of  a  calabash,  and,  panting  with  his  exertions,  brought 
it  back  filled  with  his  darling  fluid. 

*  I  presume  this  might  be  translated  into  "  Strong  Waters.  Arva  is  the 
name  bestowed  upon  a  root  the  properties  of  which  are  both  inebriating  and 
medicinal.  "  Wai  "  is  the  Marquesan  word  for  water. 


CHAP,  xxi.]  REMARKABLE  MONUMENTAL  REMAINS.  197 

The  water  tasted  like  a  solution  of  a  dozen  disagreeable  things, 
and  was  sufficiently  nauseous  to  have  made  the  fortune  of  the 
proprietor,  had  the  spa  been  situated  in  the  midst  of  any  civilized 
community. 

As  I  am  no  chemist,  I  cannot  give  a  scientific  analysis  of  the 
water.  All  I  know  about  the  matter  is,  that  one  day  Marheyo 
in  my  presence  poured  out  the  last  drop  from  his  huge  calabash, 
and  I  observed  at  the  bottom  of  the  vessel  a  small  quantity  of  gravel 
ly  sediment  very  much  resembling  our  common  sand.  Whether 
this  is  always  found  in  the  water,  and  gives  it  its  peculiar  flavor 
and  virtues,  or  whether  its  presence  was  merely  incidental,  I  was 
not  able  to  ascertain. 

One  day  in  returning  from  this  spring  by  a  circuitous  path,  I 
came  upon  a  scene  which  reminded  me  of  Stonehenge  and  the 
architectural  labors  of  the  Druid. 

At  the  base  of  one  of  the  mountains,  and  surrounded  on  all 
sides  by  dense  groves,  a  series  of  vast  terraces  of  stone  rises, 
step  by  step,  for  a  considerable  distance  up  the  hill  side. 
These  terraces  cannot  be  less  than  one  hundred  yards  in  length 
and  twenty  in  width.  Their  magnitude,  however,  is  less  striking 
than  the  immense  size  of  the  blocks  composing  them.  Some 
of  the  stones,  of  an  oblong  shape,  are  from  ten  to  fifteen  feet 
in  length,  and  five  or  six  feet  thick.  Their  sides  are  quite 
smooth,  but  though  square,  and  of  pretty  regular  formation, 
they  bear  no  mark  of  the  chisel.  They  are  laid  together  with 
out  cement,  and  here  and  there  show  gaps  between.  The 
topmost  terrace  and  the  lower  one  are  somewhat  peculiar  in 
their  construction.  They  have  both  a  quadrangular  depression 
in  the  centre,  leaving  the  rest  of  the  terrace  elevated  several 
feet  above  it.  In  the  intervals  of  the  stones  immense  trees  have 
taken  root,  and  their  broad  boughs  stretching  far  over,  and 
interlacing  together,  support  a  canopy  almost  impenetrable  to 
the  sun.  Overgrowing  the  greater  part  of  them,  and  climbing 


198  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.          [CHAP.  xxi. 

from  one  to  another,  is  a  wilderness  of  vines,  in  whose  sinewy 
embrace  many  of  the  stones  lie  half-hidden,  while  in  some 
places  a  thick  growth  of  bushes  entirely  covers  them.  There 
is  a  wild  pathway  which  obliquely  crosses  two  of  these  terraces  ; 
and  so  profound  is  the  shade,  so  dense  the  vegetation,  that  a 
stranger  to  the  place  might  pass  along  it  without  being  aware  of 
their  existence. 

These  structures  bear  every  indication  of  a  very  high  anti 
quity,  and  Kory-Kory,  who  was  my  author'*y  in  all  matters 
of  scientific  research,  gave  me  to  understand  that  they  were  co 
eval  with  the  creation  of  the  world  ;  that  the  great  gods  them 
selves  were  the  builders  ;  and  that  they  would  endure  until 
time  shall  be  no  more.  Kory-Kory's  prompt  explanation,  and  his 
attributing  the  work  to  a  divine  origin,  at  once  convinced  me 
that  neither  he  nor  the  rest  of  his  countrymen  knew  anything 
about  them. 

As  I  gazed  upon  this  monument,  doubtless  the  work  of  an 
extinct  and  forgotten  race,  thus  buried  in  the  green  nook  of  an 
island  at  the  end  of  the  earth,  the  existence  of  which  was  yester 
day  unknown,  a  stronger  feeling  of  awe  came  over  me  than  if  I 
had  stood  musing  at  the  mighty  base  of  the  Pyramid  of  Cheops. 
There  are  no  inscriptions,  no  sculpture,  no  clue,  by  which  to 
conjecture  its  history :  nothing  but  the  dumb  stones.  How 
many  generations  of  those  majestic  trees  which  overshadow  them 
have  grown  and  flourished  and  decayed  since  first  they  were 
erected ! 

These  remains  naturally  suggest  many  interesting  reflections. 
They  establish  the  great  age  of  the  island,  an  opinion  which  the 
builders  of  theories  concerning  the  creation  of  the  various  groups 
in  the  South  Seas  are  not  always  inclined  to  admit.  For  my  own 
part,  I  think  it  just  as  probable  that  human  beings  were  living  in 
the  valleys  of  the  Marquesas  three  thousand  years  ago  as  that 
they  were  inhabiting  the  land  of  Egypt.  The  origin  of  the  island 


CHAP,  xxi.]  ANTIQUITIES.  199 

of  Nukuheva  cannot  be  imputed  to  the  coral  insect :  for  inde 
fatigable  as  that  wonderful  creature  is,  it  would  be  hardly  mus 
cular  enough  to  pile  rocks  one  upon  the  other  more  than  three 
thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  That  the  land  may 
have  been  thrown  up  by  a  submarine  volcano  is  as  possible  as 
anything  else.  No  one  can  make  an  affidavit  to  the  contrary, 
and  therefore  I  will  say  nothing  against  the  supposition :  indeed, 
were  geologists  to  assert  that  the  whole  continent  of  America  had 
in  like  manner  been  formed  by  the  simultaneous  explosion  of  a 
train  of  Etnas  laid  under  the  water  all  the  way  from  the  North 
Pole  to  the  parallel  of  Cape  Horn,  I  am  the  last  man  in  the  world 
to  contradict  them. 

I  have  already  mentioned  that  the  dwellings  of  the  islanders 
were  almost  invariably  built  upon  massive  stone  foundations,  which 
they  call  pi-pis.  The  dimensions  of  these,  however,  as  well  as 
of  the  stones  composing  them,  are  comparatively  small :  but  there 
are  other  and  larger  erections  of  a  similar  description  comprising 
the  "  morais,"  or  burying-grounds,  and  festival-places,  in  nearly 
all  the  valleys  of  the  island.  Some  of  these  piles  are  so  extensive, 
and  so  great  a  degree  of  labor  and  skill  must  have  been  requisite 
in  constructing  them,  that  I  can  scarcely  believe  they  were  built 
by  the  ancestors  of  the  present  inhabitants.  If  indeed  they  were, 
the  race  has  sadly  deteriorated  in  their  knowledge  of  the  mechanic 
arts.  To  say  nothing  of  their  habitual  indolence,  by  what  con 
trivance  within  the  reach  of  so  simple  a  people  could  such  enor 
mous  masses  have  been  moved  or  fixed  in  their  places  ?  and  how 
could  they  with  their  rude  implements  have  chiselled  and  hammer 
ed  them  into  shape  ? 

All  of  these  larger  pi-pis — like  that  of  the  Hoolah  Hoolah 
Ground  in  the  Typee  valley — bore  incontestible  marks  of  great 
age  ;  and  I  am  disposed  to  believe  that  their  erection  may  be  as 
cribed  to  the  same  race  of  men  who  were  the  builders  of  the  still 
more  ancient  remains  I  have  just  described. 
10* 


200  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xrf. 

According  to  Kory-Kory's  account,  the  pi-pi  upon  which  stands 
the  Hoolah  Hoolah  ground  was  built  a  great  many  moons  ago, 
under  the  direction  of  Monoo,  a  great  chief  and  warrior,  and,  as  it 
would  appear,  master-mason  among  the  Typees.  It  was  erected 
for  the  express  purpose  to  which  it  is  at  present  devoted,  in  the 
incredibly  short  period  of  one  sun  ;  and  was  dedicated  to  the 
immortal  wooden  idols  by  a  grand  festival,  which  lasted  ten  days 
and  nights. 

Among  the  smaller  pi-pis,  upon  which  stand  the  dwelling, 
houses  of  the  natives,  I  never  observed  any  which  intimated  a 
recent  erection.  There  are  in  every  part  of  the  valley  a  great 
many  of  these  massive  stone  foundations  which  have  no  houses 
upon  them.  This  is  vastly  convenient,  for  whenever  an  enter, 
prising  islander  chooses  to  emigrate  a  few  hundred  yards  from 
the  place  where  he  was  born,  all  he  has  to  do  in  order  to  establish 
himself  in  some  new  locality,  is  to  select  one  of  the  many  un 
appropriated  pi-pis,  and  without  farther  ceremony  pitch  his  bamboo 
tent  upon  it. 


CHAP,  xxn.]  A  FESTIVAL.  201 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Preparations  for  a  Grand  Festival  in  the  Valley — Strange  doings  in  the 
Taboo  Groves— Monument  of  Calabashes — Gala  costume  of  the  Typee 
damsels — Departure  for  the  Festival. 

FROM  the  time  that  my  lameness  had  decreased  I  had  made  a 
daily  practice  of  visiting  Mehevi  at  the  Ti,  who  invariably  gave 
me  a  most  cordial  reception.  I  was  always  accompanied  in  these 
excursions  by  Fayaway  and  the  ever-present  Kory-Kory.  The 
former,  as  soon  as  we  reached  the  vicinity  of  the  Ti — which  was 
rigorously  tabooed  to  the  whole  female  sex — withdrew  to  a  neigh 
boring  hut,  as  if  her  feminine  delicacy  restrained  her  from 
approaching  a  habitation  which  might  be  regarded  as  a  sort  of 
Bachelor's  Hall. 

And  in  good  truth  it  might  well  have  been  so  considered.  Al 
though  it  was  the  permanent  residence  of  several  distinguished 
chiefs,  and  of  the  noble  Mehevi  in  particular,  it  was  still  at  certain 
seasons  the  favorite  haunt  of  all  the  jolly,  talkative,  and  elderly 
savages  of  the  vale,  who  resorted  thither  in  the  same  way  that 
similar  characters  frequent  a  tavern  in  civilized  countries.  There 
they  would  remain  hour  after  hour,  chatting,  smoking,  eating 
poee-poee,  or  busily  engaged  in  sleeping  for  the  good  of  their  con 
stitutions. 

This  building  appeared  to  be  the  head-quarters  of -the  valley, 
where  all  flying  rumors  concentrated  ;  and  to  have  seen  it  filled 
with  a  crowd  of  the  natives,  all  males,  conversing  in  animated 
clusters,  while  multitudes  were  continually  coming  and  going, 
one  would  have  thought  it  a  kind  of  savage  Exchange,  where  the 
rise  and  fall  of  Polynesian  Stock  was  discussed. 


202  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  xxn. 

Mehevi  acted  as  supreme  lord  over  the  place,  spending  the 
greater  portion  of  his  time  there  :  and  often  when,  at  particular 
hours  of  the  day,  it  was  deserted  by  nearly  every  one  else  except 
the  verd- antique  looking  centenarians,  who  were  fixtures  in  the 
building,  the  chief  himself  was  sure  to  be  found  enjoying  his 
"  otium  cum  dignitate  "  upon  the  luxurious  mats  which  covered 
the  floor.  Whenever  I  made  my  appearance  he  invariably  rose, 
and,  like  a  gentleman  doing  the  honors  of  his  mansion,  invited  me 
to  repose  myself  wherever  I  pleased,  and  calling  out  "tammaree  !" 
(boy),  a  little  fellow  would  appear,  and  then  retiring  for  an  instant, 
return  with  some  savory  mess,  from  which  the  chief  would  press 
me  to  regale  myself.  To  tell  the  truth,  Mehevi  was  indebted  to 
the  excellence  of  his  viands  for  the  honor  of  my  repeated  visits, — 
a  matter  which  cannot  appear  singular,  when  it  is  borne  in  mind 
that  bachelors,  all  the  world  over,  are  famous  for  serving  up  un 
exceptionable  repasts. 

One  day,  on  drawing  near  to  the  Ti,  I  observed  that  extensive 
preparations  were  going  forward,  plainly  betokening  some  ap 
proaching  festival.  Some  of  the  symptoms  reminded  me  of  the 
stir  produced  among  the  scullions  of  a  large  hotel,  where  a  grand 
jubilee  dinner  is  about  to  be  given.  The  natives  were  hurrying 
about  hither  and  thither,  engaged  in  various  duties  ;  some  lugging 
off  to  the  stream  enormous  hollow  bamboos,  for  the  purpose  of 
filling  them  with  water ;  others  chasing  furious-looking  hogs 
through  the  bushes,  in  their  endeavors  to  capture  them  ;  and 
numbers  employed  in  kneading  great  mountains  of  poee-poee 
heaped  up  in  huge  wooden  vessels. 

After  observing  these  lively  indications  for  a  while,  I  was 
attracted  to  a  neighboring  grove  by  a  prodigious  squeaking  which 
I  heard  there.  On  reaching  the  spot  I  found  it  proceeded  from  a 
large  hog  which  a  number  of  natives  were  forcibly  holding  to  the 
earth,  while  a  muscular  fellow,  armed  with  a  bludgeon,  was 
ineffectually  aiming  murderous  blows  at  the  skull  of  the  unfor- 


CHAP,  xxn.]  NATIVE  COOKERY.  203 

tunate  porker.  Again  and  again  he  missed  his  writhing  and 
struggling  victim,  but  though  puffing  and  panting  with  his  exer 
tions,  he  still  continued  them  ;  and  after  striking  a  sufficient 
number  of  blows  to  have  demolished  an  entire  drove  of  oxen, 
with  one  crashing  stroke  he  laid  him  dead  at  his  feet. 

Without  letting  any  blood  from  the  body,  it  was  immediately 
carried  to  a  fire  which  had  been  kindled  near  at  hand,  and  four 
savages  taking  hold  of  the  carcass  by  its  legs,  passed  it  rapidly  to 
and  fro  in  the  flames.  In  a  moment  the  smell  of  burning  bristles 
betrayed  the  object  of  this  procedure.  Having  got  thus  far  in 
the  matter,  the  body  was  removed  to  a  little  distance ;  and,  being 
disembowelled,  the  entrails  were  laid  aside  as  choice  parts,  and 
the  whole  carcass  thoroughly  washed  with  water.  An  ample 
thick  green  cloth,  composed  of  the  long  thick  leaves  of  a  species 
of  palm-tree,  ingeniously  tacked  together  with  little  pins  of  bam 
boo,  was  now  spread  upon  the  ground,  in  which  the  body  being 
carefully  rolled,  it  was  borne  to  an  oven  previously  prepared  to 
receive  it.  Here  it  was  at  once  laid  upon  the  heated  stones  at 
the  bottom,  and  covered  with  thick  layers  of  leaves,  the  whole 
being  quickly  hidden  from  sight  by  a  mound  of  earth  raised 
over  it. 

Such  is  the  summary  style  in  which  the  Typees  convert  per 
verse-minded  and  rebellious  hogs  into  the  most  docile  and  amiable 
pork ;  a  morsel  of  which  placed  on  the  tongue  melts  like  a  soft 
smile  from  the  lips  of  Beauty. 

I  commend  their  peculiar  mode  of  proceeding  to  the  considera 
tion  of  all  butchers,  cooks,  and  housewives.  The  hapless  porker 
whose  fate  I  have  just  rehearsed,  was  not  the  only  one  who  suffered 
on  that  memorable  day.  Many  a  dismal  grunt,  many  an  implor 
ing  squeak,  proclaimed  what  was  going  on  throughout  the  whole 
extent  of  the  valley  ;  and  I  verily  believe  the  first-born  of  every 
litter  perished  before  the  setting  of  that  fatal  sun. 

The  scene  around  the  Ti  was  now  most  animated.     Hogs  and 


204  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.         [CHAP.  xxn. 

poee-poee  were  baking  in  numerous  ovens,  which,  heaped  up  with 
fresh  earth  into  slight  elevations,  looked  like  so  many  ant-hills. 
Scores  of  the  savages  were  vigorously  plying  their  stone  pestles 
in  preparing  masses  of  poee-poee,  and  numbers  were  gathering 
green  bread-fruit  and  young  cocoa-nuts  in  the  surrounding  groves ; 
while  an  exceeding  great  multitude,  with  a  view  of  encouraging 
the  rest  in  their  labors,  stood  still,  and  kept  shouting  most  lustily 
without  intermission. 

It  is  a  peculiarity  among  these  people,  that  when  engaged  in 
an  employment  they  always  make  a  prodigious  fuss  about  it.  So 
seldom  do  they  ever  exert  themselves,  that  when  they  do  work 
they  seem  determined  that  so  meritorious  an  action  shall  not  escape 
the  observation  of  those  around.  If,  for  example,  they  have 
occasion  to  remove  a  stone  to  a  little  distance,  which  perhaps 
might  be  carried  by  two  able-bodied  men,  a  whole  swarm  gather 
about  it,  and,  after  a  vast  deal  of  palavering,  lift  it  up  among  them3 
every  one  struggling  to  get  hold  of  it,  and  bear  it  off  yelling  and 
panting  as  if  accomplishing  some  mighty  achievement.  Seeing 
them  on  these  occasions,  one  is  reminded  of  an  infinity  of  black 
ants  clustering  about  and  dragging  away  to  some  hole  the  leg  of 
a  deceased  fly. 

Having  for  some  time  attentively  observed  these  demonstrations 
of  good  cheer,  I  entered  the  Ti,  where  Mehevi  sat  complacently 
looking  out  upon  the  busy  scene,  and  occasionally  issuing  his 
orders.  The  chief  appeared  to  be  in  an  extraordinary  flow  of 
spirits,  and  gave  me  to  understand  that  on  the  morrow  there  would 
be  grand  doings  in  the  Groves  generally,  and  at  the  Ti  in  parti 
cular  ;  and  urged  me  by  no  means  to  absent  myself.  In  com 
memoration  of  what  event,  however,  or  in  honor  of  what  distin 
guished  personage,  the  feast  was  to  be  given,  altogether  passed 
my  comprehension.  Mehevi  sought  to  enlighten  my  ignorance, 
but  he  failed  as  signally  as  when  he  had  endeavored  to  initiate 
me  into  the  perplexing  arcana  of  the  taboo. 


CHAP,  xxii.]  FEAST  OF  CALABASHES.  205 

On  leaving  the  Ti,  Kory-Kory,  who  had  as  a  matter  of  course 
accompanied  me,  observing  that  my  curiosity  remained  unabated, 
resolved  to  make  everything  plain  and  satisfactory.  With  this 
intent,  he  escorted  me  through  the  Taboo  Groves,  pointing  out  to 
my  notice  a  variety  of  objects,  and  endeavored  to  explain  them  in 
such  an  indescribable  jargon  of  words,  that  it  almost  put  me  in 
bodily  pain  to  listen  to  him.  In  particular,  he  led  me  to  a  remark, 
able  pyramidical  structure  some  three  yards  square  at  the  base, 
and  perhaps  ten  feet  in  height,  which  had  lately  been  thrown  up, 
and  occupied  a  very  conspicuous  position.  It  was  composed 
principally  of  large  empty  calabashes,  with  a  few  polished  cocoa- 
nut  shells,  and  looked  not  unlike  a  cenotaph  of  skulls.  My 
cicerone  perceived  the  astonishment  with  which  I  gazed  at  this 
monument  of  savage  crockery,  and  immediately  addressed  him 
self  to  the  task  of  enlightening  me :  but  all  in  vain  ;  and  to  this 
hour  the  nature  of  the  monument  remains  a  complete  mystery  to 
me.  As,  however,  it  formed  so  prominent  a  feature  in  the  ap 
proaching  revels,  I  bestowed  upon  the  latter,  in  my  own  mind,  the 
title  of  the  "Feast  of  Calabashes." 

The  following  morning,  awaking  rather  late,  I  perceived  the 
whole  of  Marheyo's  family  busily  engaged  in  preparing  for  the 
festival.  The  old  warrior  himself  was  arranging  in  round  balls 
the  two  grey  locks  of  hair  that  were  suffered  to  grow  from  the 
crown  of  his  head ;  his  earrings  and  spear,  both  well  polished, 
lay  beside  him,  while  the  highly  decorative  pair  of  shoes  hung 
suspended  from  a  projecting  cane  against  the  side  of  the  house. 
The  young  men  were  similarly  employed ;  and  the  fair  damsels, 
including  Fay  away,  were  anointing  themselves  with  "  aka," 
arranging  their  long  tresses,  and  performing  other  matters  con 
nected  with  the  duties  of  the  toilet. 

Having  completed  their  preparations,  the  girls  now  exhibited 
themselves  in  gala  costume ;  the  most  conspicuous  feature  of 
which  was  a  necklace  of  beautiful  white  flowers,  with  the  stems 


206  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.        [CHAP.  xxn. 

removed,  and  strung  closely  together  upon  a  single  fibre  of  tappa. 
Corresponding  ornaments  were  inserted  in  their  ears,  and  woven 
garlands  upon  their  heads.  About  their  waist  they  wore  a  short 
tunic  of  spotless  white  tappa,  and  some  of  them  superadded  to  this 
a  mantle  of  the  same  material,  tied  in  an  elaborate  bow  upon  the 
left  shoulder,  and  falling  about  the  figure  in  picturesque  folds. 

Thus  arrayed,  I  would  have  matched  the  charming  Fayaway 
against  any  beauty  in  the  world. 

People  may  say  what  they  will  about  the  taste  evinced  by  our 
fashionable  ladies  in  dress.  Their  jewels,  their  feathers,  their 
silks,  and  their  furbelows,  would  have  sunk  into  utter  insignifi 
cance  beside  the  exquisite  simplicity  of  attire  adopted  by  the 
nymphs  of  the  vale  on  this  festive  occasion.  I  should  like  to  have 
seen  a  gallery  of  coronation  beauties,  at  Westminster  Abbey,  con 
fronted  for  a  moment  by  this  band  of  Island  girls ;  their  stiffness, 
formality,  and  affectation,  contrasted  with  the  artless  vivacity  and 
unconcealed  natural  graces  of  these  savage  maidens.  It  would 
be  the  Venus  dej  Medici  placed  beside  a  milliner's  doll. 

It  was  not  long  before  Kory-Kory  and  myself  were  left  alone  in 
the  house,  the  rest  of  its  inmates  having  departed  for  the  Taboo 
Groves.  My  valet  was  all  impatience  to  follow  them ;  and  was 
as  fidgetty  about  my  dilatory  movements  as  a  diner  out  waiting 
hat  in  hand  at  the  bottom  of  the  stairs  for  some  lagging  companion. 
At  last,  yielding  to  his  importunities,  I  set  out  for  the  Ti.  As  we 
passed  the  houses  peeping  out  from  the  groves  through  which  our 
route  lay,  I  noticed  that  they  were  entirely  deserted  by  their  in 
habitants. 

When  we  reached  the  rock  that  abruptly  terminated  the  path, 
and  concealed  from  us  the  festive  scene,  wild  shouts  and  a  con 
fused  blending  of  voices  assured  me  that  the  occasion,  whatever 
it  might  be,  had  drawn  together  a  great  multitude.  Kory-Kory, 
previous  to  mounting  the  elevation,  paused  for  a  moment,  like  a 
dandy  at  a  ball-room  door,  to  put  a  hasty  finish  to  his  toilet. 


CHAP,  xxii.]  GALA  COSTUME.  207 

During  this  short  interval,  the  thought  struck  me  that  I  ought 
myself  perhaps  to  be  taking  some  little  pains  with  my  appearance. 
But  as  I  had  no  holiday  raiment,  I  was  not  a  little  puzzled  to  de 
vise  some  means  of  decorating  myself.  However,  as  I  felt  de 
sirous  to  create  a  sensation,  I  determined  to  do  all  that  lay  in  my 
power ;  and  knowing  that  I  could  not  delight  the  savages  more 
than  by  conforming  to  their  style  of  dress,  I  removed  from  my  per 
son  the  large  robe  of  tappa  which  I  was  accustomed  to  wear  over 
my  shoulders  whenever  I  sallied  into  the  open  air,  and  remained 
merely  girt  about  with  a  short  tunic  descending  from  my  waist  to 
my  knees. 

My  quick-witted  attendant  fully  appreciated  the  compliment  I 
was  paying  to  the  costume  of  his  race,  and  began  more  sedulously 
to  arrange  the  folds  of  the  one  only  garment  which  remained  to 
me.  Whilst  he  was  doing  this,  I  caught  sight  of  a  knot  of  young 
lasses,  who  were  sitting  near  us  on  the  grass  surrounded  by  heaps 
of  flowers,  which  they  were  forming  into  garlands.  I  motioned 
to  them  to  bring  some  of  their  handy  work  to  me ;  and  in  an  in 
stant  a  dozen  wreaths  were  at  my  disposal.  One  of  them  I  put 
round  the  apology  for  a  hat  which  I  had  been  forced  to  construct 
for  myself  out  of  palmetto-leaves,  and  some  of  the  others  I  con 
verted  into  a  splendid  girdle.  These  operations  finished,  with 
the  slow  and  dignified  step  of  a  full-dressed  beau  I  ascended  the 
rock. 


208  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.         [CHAP.  xxm. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

The  Feast  of  Calabashes 

THE  whole  population  of  the  valley  seemed  to  be  gathered  within 
the  precincts  of  the  grove.  In  the  distance  could  be  seen  the  long 
front  of  the  Ti,  its  immense  piazza  swarming  with  men,  arrayed 
in  every  variety  of  fantastic  costume,  and  all  vociferating  with 
animated  gestures ;  while  the  whole  interval  between  it  and  the 
place  where  I  stood  was  enlivened  by  groups  of  females  fancifully 
decorated,  dancing,  capering,  and  uttering  wild  exclamations. 
As  soon  as  they  descried  me  they  set  up  a  shout  of  welcome ; 
and  a  band  of  them  came  dancing  towards  me,  chanting  as  they 
approached  some  wild  recitative.  The  change  in  my  garb  seemed 
to  transport  them  with  delight,  and  clustering  about  me  on  all 
sides,  they  accompanied  me  towards  the  Ti.  When  however  we 
drew  near  it  these  joyous  nymphs  paused  in  their  career,  and 
parting  on  either  side,  permitted  me  to  pass  on  to  the  now  densely 
thronged  building. 

So  soon  as  I  mounted  to  the  pi-pi  I  saw  at  a  glance  that  the 
revels  were  fairly  under  way. 

What  lavish  plenty  reigned  around ! — Warwick  feasting  his 
retainers  with  beef  and  ale,  was  a  niggard  to  the  noble  Mehevi ! 
— All  along  the  piazza  of  the  Ti  were  arranged  elaborately  carved 
canoe-shaped  vessels,  some  twenty  feet  in  length,  filled  with  newly 
made  poee-poee,  and  sheltered  from  the  sun  by  the  broad  leaves 
of  the  banana.  At  intervals  were  heaps  of  green  bread-fruit, 
raised  in  pyramidical  stacks,  resembling  the  regular  piles  of  heavy 
shot  to  be  seen  in  the  yard  of  an  arsenal.  Inserted  into  the  inter- 


en 


CHAP,  xxiii.]  PIAZZA  OF  THE  TI.  209 

stices  of  the  huge  stones  which  formed  the  pi-pi  were  large  boughs 
of  trees ;  hanging  from  the  branches  of  which,  and  screened  from 
the  sun  by  their  foliage,  were  innumerable  little  packages  with 
leafy  coverings,  containing  the  meat  of  the  numerous  hogs  which 
had  been  slain,  done  up  in  this  manner  to  make  it  more  accessible 
to  the  crowd.  Leaning  against  the  railing  of  the  piazza  were  an 
immense  number  .of  long,  heavy  bamboos,  plugged  at  the  lower 

d.  and  with  their  projecting  muzzles  stuffed  with  a  wad  of 
leaves.  These  were  filled  with  water  from  the  stream,  and  each 
of  them  might  hold  from  four  to  five  gallons. 

The  banquet  being  thus  spread,  naught  remained  but  for  every 
one  to  help  himself  at  his  pleasure.  Accordingly  not  a  moment 
passed  but  the  transplanted  boughs  I  have  mentioned  were  rifled 
by  the  throng  of  the  fruit  they  certainly  had  never  borne  before, 
alabashes  of  poee-poee  were  continually  being  replenished  from 
the  extensive  receptacle  in  which  that  article  was  stored,  and 
multitudes  of  little  fires  were  kindled  about  the  Ti  for  the  purpose 
of  roasting  the  bread-fruit. 

Within  the  building  itself  was  presented  a  most  extraordinary 
scene.  The  immense  lounge  of  mats  lying  between  the  parallel 
rows  of  the  trunks  of  cocoa-nut  trees,  and  extending  the  entire 
length  of  the  house,  at  least  two  hundred  feet,  was  covered  by  the 
reclining  forms  of  a  host  of  chiefs  and  warriors,  who  were  eating 
at  a  great  rate,  or  soothing  the  cares  of  Polynesian  life  in  the  se 
dative  fumes  of  tobacco.  The  smoke  was  inhaled  from  large 
pipes,  the  bowls  of  which,  made  out  of  small  cocoa-nut  shells, 
were  curiously  carved  in  strange  heathenish  devices.  These 
were  passed  from  mouth  to  mouth  by  the  recumbent  smokers, 
each  of  whom,  taking  two  or  three  prodigious  whiffs,  handed  the 
pipe  to  his  neighbor ;  sometimes  for  that  purpose  stretching  indo 
lently  across  the  body  of  some  dozing  individual  whose  exertions 
at  the  dinner-table  had  already  induced  sleep. 

The  tobacco  used  among  the  Typees  was  of  a  very  mild  and 


210  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  xxin. 

pleasing  flavor,  and  as  I  always  saw  it  in  leaves,  and  the  natives 
appeared  pretty  well  supplied  with  it,  I  was  led  to  believe  that  it 
must  have  been  the  growth  of  the  valley.  Indeed  Kory-Kory 
gave  me  to  understand  that  this  was  the  case  ;  but  I  never  saw  a 
single  plant  growing  on  the  island.  At  Nukuheva,  and,  I  be 
lieve,  in  all  the  other  valleys,  the  weed  is  very  scarce,  being 
only  obtained  in  small  quantities  from  foreigners,  and  smoking  is 
consequently  with  the  inhabitants  of  these  places  a  very  great 
luxury.  How  it  was  that  the  Typees  were  so  well  furnished  with 
it  I  cannot  divine.  I  should  think  them  too  indolent  to  devote  any 
attention  to  its  culture ;  and,  indeed,  as  far  as  my  observation 
extended,  not  a  single  atom  of  the  soil  was  under  any  other 
cultivation  than  that  of  shower  and  sunshine.  The  tobacco-plant, 
however,  like  the  sugar-cane,  may  grow  wild  in  some  remote 
part  of  the  vale. 

There  were  many  in  the  Ti  for  whom  the  tobacco  did  not  fur 
nish  a  sufficient  stimulus,  and  who  accordingly  had  recourse  to 
"  arva,"  as  a  more  powerful  agent  in  producing  the  desired  effect. 

"  Arva  "  is  a  root  very  generally  dispersed  over  the  South  Seas, 
and  from  it  is  extracted  a  juice,  the  effects  of  which  upon  the  sys 
tem  are  at  first  stimulating  in  a  moderate  degree  ;  but  it  soon 
relaxes  the  muscles,  and  exerting  a  narcotic  influence  produces  a 
luxurious  sleep.  In  the  valley  this  beverage  was  universally  pre 
pared  in  the  following  way  : — Some  half-dozen  young  boys  seated 
themselves  in  a  circle  around  an  empty  wooden  vessel,  each  one 
of  them  being  supplied  with  a  certain  quantity  of  the  roots  of  the 
"  arva,"  broken  into  small  bits  and  laid  by  his  side.  A  cocoa-nut 
goblet  of  water  was  passed  around  the  juvenile  company,  who  rinsing 
their  mouths  with  its  contents,  proceeded  to  the  business  before 
them.  This  merely  consisted  in  thoroughly  masticating  the  "  arva," 
and  throwing  it  mouthful  after  mouthful  into  the  receptacle  pro 
vided.  When  a  sufficient  quantity  had  been  thus  obtained  water 
was  poured  upon  the  mass,  and  being  stirred  about  with  the  fore- 


CHAP,  xxin.]  "ARVA."  211 

finger  of  the  right-hand,  the  preparation  was  soon  in  readiness  for 
use.  The  "  arva  "  has  medicinal  qualities. 

Upon  the  Sandwich  Islands  it  has  been  employed  with  no  small 
success  in  the  treatment  of  scrofulous  affections,  and  in  combating 
the  ravages  of  a  disease  for  whose  frightful  inroads  the  ill- 
starred  inhabitants  of  that  group  are  indebted  to  their  foreign 
benefactors.  But  the  tenants  of  the  Typee  valley,  as  yet  exempt 
from  these  inflictions,  generally  employ  the  "  arva  "  as  a  minister 
lo  social  enjoyment,  and  a  calabash  of  the  liquid  circulates  among 
them  as  the  bottle  with  us. 

Mehevi,  who  was  greatly  delighted  with  the  change  in  my  cos 
tume,  gave  me  a  cordial  welcome.  He  had  reserved  for  me  a 
most  delectable  mess  of  "  cockoo,"  well  knowing  my  partiality 
for  that  dish ;  and  had  likewise  selected  three  or  four  young  cocoa- 
|  nuts,  several  roasted  bread-fruit,  and  a  magnificent  bunch  of  ba 
nanas,  for  my  especial  comfort  and  gratification.  These  various 
matters  were  at  once  placed  before  me  ;  but  Kory-Kory  deemed 
the  banquet  entirely  insufficient  for  my  wants  until  he  had  sup 
plied  me  with  one  of  the  leafy  packages  of  pork,  which,  notwith 
standing  the  somewhat  hasty  manner  in  which  it  had  been  pre 
pared,  possessed  a  most  excellent  flavor,  and  was  surprisingly 
weet  and  tender. 

Pork  is  not  a  staple  article  of  food  among  the  people  of  the  Mar 
quesas,  consequently  they  pay  little  attention  to  the  breeding  of  the 
swine.  The  hogs  are  permitted  to  roam  at  large  in  the  groves, 
where  they  obtain  no  small  portion  of  their  nourishment  from  the 
cocoa-nuts  which  continually  fall  from  the  trees.  But  it  is  only 
after  infinite  labor  and  difficulty,  that  the  hungry  animal  can 
pierce  the  husk  and  shell  so  as  to  get  at  the  meat.  I  have  fre 
quently  been  amused  at  seeing  one  of  them,  after  crunching  the 
obstinate  nut  with  his  teeth  for  a  long  time  unsuccessfully,  get 
into  a  violent  passion  with  it.  He  would  then  root  furiously  under 
the  cocoa-nut,  and,  with  a  fling  of  his  snout,  toss  it  before  him  on 


212  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  xxm. 


the  ground.  Following  it  up,  he  would  crunch  at  it  again  sav 
agely  for  a  moment,  and  the  next  knock  it  on  one  side,  pausing 
immediately  after,  as  if  wondering  how  it  could  so  suddenly  have 
disappeared.  In  this  way  the  persecuted  cocoa-nuts  were  often 
chased  half  across  the  valley. 

The  second  day  of  the  Feast  of  Calabashes  was  ushered  in  by  still 
more  uproarious  noises  than  the  first.  The  skins  of  innumerable 
sheep  seemed  to  be  resounding  to  the  blows  of  an  army  of  drummers. 
Startled  from  my  slumbers  by  the  din,  I  leaped  up,  and  found  the 
whole  household  engaged  in  making  preparations  for  immediate 
departure.  Curious  to  discover  of  what  strange  events  these  novel 
sounds  might  be  the  precursors,  and  not  a  little  desirous  to  catch 
a  sight  of  the  instruments  which  produced  the  terrific  noise,  I 
accompanied  the  natives  as  soon  as  they  were  in  readiness  to  de 
part  for  the  Taboo  Groves. 

The  comparatively  open  space  that  extended  from  the  Ti  toward 
the  rock,  to  which  I  have  before  alluded  as  forming  the  ascent  to 
the  place,  was,  with  the  building  itself,  now  altogether  deserted  by 
the  men;  the  whole  distance  being  filled  by  bands  of  females, 
shouting  and  dancing  under  the  influence  of  some  strange  excite 
ment. 

I  was  amused  at  the  appearance  of  four  or  five  old  women  who, 
in  a  state  of  utter  nudity,  with  their  arms  extended  flatly  down  their 
sides,  and  holding  themselves  perfectly  erect,  were  leaping  stiffly 
into  the  air,  like  so  many  sticks  bobbing  to  the  surface,  after  being 
pressed  perpendicularly  into  the  water.  They  preserved  the  ut 
most  gravity  of  countenance,  and  continued  their  extraordinary 
movements  without  a  single  moment's  cessation.  They  did  not 
appear  to  attract  the  observation  of  the  crowd  around  them,  but  I 
must  candidly  confess  that,  for  my  own  part,  I  stared  at  them 
most  pertinaciously. 

Desirous  of  being  enlightened  in  regard  to  the  meaning-  of  this 
peculiar  diversion,  I  turned  inquiringly  to  Kory-Kory  ;  that  learn-  . 


CHAP,  xxiii.]  A  FESTIVAL.  213 

ed  Typee  immediately  proceeded  to  explain  the  whole  matter 
thoroughly.  But  all  that  I  could  comprehend  from  what  he  said 
was,  that  the  leaping  figures  before  me  were  bereaved  widows, 
whose  partners  had  been  slain  in  battle  many  moons  previously  ; 
and  who,  at  every  festival,  gave  public  evidence  in  this  manner 
of  their  calamities.  It  was  evident  that  Kory-Kory  considered 
this  an  all-sufficient  reason  for  so  indecorous,a  custom  ;  but  I 
must  say  that  it  did  not  satisfy  me  as  to  its  propriety. 

Leaving  these  afflicted  femeles,  we  passed  on  to  the  Hoolah 
Hoolah  ground.  Within  the  spacious  quadrangle,  the  whole  popu 
lation  of  the  valley  seemed  to  be  assembled,  and  the  sight  pre 
sented  was  truly  remarkable.  Beneath  the  sheds  of  bamboo 
which  opened  towards  the  interior  of  the  square,  reclined  the 
principal  chiefs  and  warriors,  while  a  miscellaneous  throng  lay  at 
their  ease  under  the  enormous  trees  which  spread  a  majestic 
canopy  overhead.  Upon  the  terraces  of  the  gigantic  altars,  at  either 
end,  were  deposited  green  bread-fruit  in  baskets  of  cocoa-nut 
leaves,  large  rolls  of  tappa,  bunches  of  white  bananas,  clusters 
of  mammee-apples,  the  golden-hued  fruit  of  the  artu-tree,  and 
baked  hogs,  laid  out  in  large  wooden  trenches,  fancifully  decorated 
with  freshly  plucked  leaves,  whilst  a  variety  of  rude  implements 
of  war  were  piled  in  confused  heaps  before  the  ranks  of  hideous 
idols.  Fruits  of  various  kinds  were  likewise  suspended  in  leafen 
baskets,  from  the  tops  of  poles  planted  uprightly,  and  at  regular 
intervals,  along  the  lower  terraces  of  both  altars.  At  their  base 
were  arranged  two  parallel  rows  of  cumbersome  drums,  stand 
ing  at  least  fifteen  feet  in  height,  and  formed  from  the  hollow 
trunks  of  large  trees.  Their  heads  were  covered  with  shark 
skins,  and  their  barrels  were  elaborately  carved  with  various 
quaint  figures  and  devices.  At  regular  intervals  they  were 
bound  round  by  a  species  of  sinnate  of  various  colors,  and  strips 
of  native  cloth  flattened  upon  them  here  and  there.  Behind  these 
instruments  were  built  slight  platforms,  upon  which  stood  a  num- 


I 


214  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP,  xxui 

her  of  young  men  who,  beating  violently  with  the  palms  of  their 
hands  upon  the  drum-heads,  produced  those  outrageous  sounds 
which  had  awakened  me  in  the  morning.  Every  few  minutes 
these  musical  performers  hopped  down  from  their  elevation  into 
the  crowd  below,  and  their  places  were  immediately  supplied  by 
fresh  recruits.  Thus  an  incessant  din  was  kept  up  that  might 
have  startled  Pandemonium. 

Precisely  in  the  middle  of  the  quadrangle  were  placed  perpen 
dicularly  in  the  ground,  a  hundred  or  more  slender,  fresh-cut  poles, 
stripped  of  their  bark,  and  decorated  at  the  end  with  a  floating 
pennon  of  white  tappa ;  the  whole  being  fenced  about  with  a  little 
picket  of  canes.  For  what  purpose  these  singular  ornaments  were 
intended  I  in  vain  endeavored  to  discover. 

Another  most  striking  feature  of  the  performance  was  exhibited 
by  a  score  of  old  men,  who  sat  cross-legged  in  the  little  pulpits, 
which  encircled  the  trunks  of  the  immense  trees  growing  in  the 
middle  of  the  enclosure.  These  venerable  gentlemen,  who  I  pre 
sume  were  the  priests,  kept  up  an  uninterrupted  monotonous  chant, 
which  was  nearly  drowned  in  the  roar  of  drums.  In  the  right 
hand  they  held  a  finely  woven  grass  fan,  with  a  heavy  black 
wooden  handle  curiously  chased :  these  fans  they  kept  in  conti 
nual  motion. 

But.  no  attention  whatever  seemed  to  be  paid  to  the  drummers 
or  to  the  old  priests ;  the  individuals  who  composed  the  vast  crowd 
present  being  entirely  taken  up  in  chatting  and  laughing  with 
one  another,  smoking,  drinking  arva,  and  eating.  For  all  the 
observation  it  attracted,  or  the  good  it  achieved,  the  whole  savage 
orchestra  might,  with  great  advantage  to  its  own  members  and  the 
company  in  general,  have  ceased  the  prodigious  uproar  they  were 
making. 

In  vain  I  questioned  Kory-Kory  and  others  of  the  natives,  as  to 
the  meaning  of  the  strange  things  that  were  going  on  ;  all  their 
explanations  were  conveyed  in  such  a  mass  of  outlandish  gibber- 


CHAP.  XXIII.] 


CLOSE  OF  THE  FESTIVITIES. 


215 


ish  and  gesticulation  that  I  gave  up  the  attempt  in  despair.  «A11 
that  day  the  drums  resounded,  the  priests  chanted,  and  the  multi 
tude  feasted  and  roared  till  sunset,  when  the  throng  dispersed,  and 
the  Taboo  Groves  were  again  abandoned  to  quiet  and  repose.  The 
next  day  the  same  scene  was  repeated  until  night,  when  this  sin 
gular  festival  terminated. 


11 


216  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.         [CHAP.  xxiv. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Ideas  suggested  by  the  Feast  of  Calabashes — Inaccuracy  of  certain  published 
Accounts  of  the  Islands — A  Reason — Neglected  State  of  Heathenism  in 
the  Valley — Effigy  of  a  dead  Warrior — A  singular  Superstition — The 
Priest  Kolory  and  the  God  Moa  Artua— Amazing  Religious  Observance — 
A  dilapidated  Shrine — Kory-Kory  and  the  Idol — An  Inference. 

ALTHOUGH  I  had  been  baffled  in  my  attempts  to  learn  the  origin 
of  the  Feast  of  Calabashes,  yet  it  seemed  very  plain  to  me  that 
it  was  principally,  if  not  wholly  of  a  religious  character.  As  a 
religious  solemnity,  however,  it  had  not  at  all  corresponded  with 
the  horrible  descriptions  of  Polynesian  worship  which  we  have 
received  in  some  published  narratives,  and  especially  in  those 
accounts  of  the  evangelized  islands  with  which  the  missionaries 
have  favored  us.  Did  not  the  sacred  character  of  these  persons 
render  the  purity  of  their  intentions  unquestionable,  I  should  cer 
tainly  be  led  to  suppose  that  they  had  exaggerated  the  evils  of 
Paganism,  in  order  to  enhance  the  merit  of  their  own  disinterested 
labors. 

In  a  certain  work  incidentally  treating  of  the  "  Washington,  or 
Northern  Marquesas  Islands,"  I  have  seen  the  frequent  immola 
tion  of  human  victims  upon  the  altars  of  their  gods,  positively  and 
repeatedly  charged  upon  the  inhabitants.  The  same  work  gives 
also  a  rather  minute  account  of  their  religion, — enumerates  a 
great  many  of  their  superstitions, — and  makes  known  the  par 
ticular  designations  of  numerous  orders  of  the  priesthood.  One 
would  almost  imagine  from  the  long  list  that  is  given  of  cannibal 
primates,  bishops,  archdeacons,  prebendaries,  and  other  inferior 


CHAP,  xxiv.]         INACCURACIES  OF  TRAVELLERS.  217 


ecclesiastics,  that  the  sacerdotal  order  far  outnumbered  the  rest 
of  the  population,  and  that  the  poor  natives  were  more  severely 
priest-ridden  than  even  the  inhabitants  of  the  papal  states.  These 
accounts  are  likewise  calculated  to  leave  upon  the  reader's  mind 
an  impression  that  human  victims  are  daily  cooked  and  served 
up  upon  the  altars  ;  that  heathenish  cruelties  of  every  descrip 
tion  are  continually  practised  ;  and  that  these  ignorant  Pagans  are 
in  a  state  of  the  extremest  wretchedness  in  consequence  of  the 
grossness  of  their  superstitions.  Be  it  observed,  however,  that  all 
this  information  is  given  by  a  man  who,  according  to  his  own 
statement,  was  only  at  one  of  the  islands,  and  remained  there  but 
two  weeks,  sleeping  every  night  on  board  his  ship,  and  taking 
little  kid-glove  excursions  ashore  in  the  daytime,  attended  by  an 
armed  party. 

Now,  all  I  can  say  is,  that  in  all  my  excursions  through  the 
valley  of  Typee,  I  never  saw  any  of  these  alleged  enormities. 
If  any  of  them  are  practised  upon  the  Marquesas  Islands,  they 
must  certainly  have  come  to  my  knowledge  while  living  for 
months  with  a  tribe  of  savages,  wholly  unchanged  from  their 
original  primitive  condition,  and  reputed  the  most  ferocious  in  the 
South  Seas. 

The  fact  is,  that  there  is  a  vast  deal  of  unintentional  humbug- 
gery  in  some  of  the  accounts  we  have  from  scientific  men  con 
cerning  the  religious  institutions  of  Polynesia.  These  learned 
tourists  generally  obtain  the  greater  part  of  their  information  from 
the  retired  old  South-Sea  rovers,  who  have  domesticated  them 
selves  among  the  barbarous  tribes  of  the  Pacific.  Jack,  who  has 
long  been  accustomed  to  the  long-bow,  and  to  spin  tough  yarns  on 
a  ship's  forecastle,  invariably  officiates  as  showman  of  the  island 
on  which  he  has  settled,  and  having  mastered  a  few  dozen  words  of 
the  language,  is  supposed  to  know  all  about  the  people  who  speak  it. 
A  natural  desire  to  make  himself  of  consequence  in  the  eyes  of 
the  strangers,  prompts  him  to  lay  claim  to  a  much  greater  know- 


218  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  xxiv. 

ledge  of  such  matters  than  he  actually  possesses.  In  reply  to  in 
cessant  queries,  he  communicates  not  only  all  he  knows,  but  a 
*good  deal  more,  and  if  there  be  any  information  deficient,  still  he 
is  at  no  loss  to  supply  it.  The  avidity  with  which  his  anecdotes 
are  noted  down  tickles  his  vanity,  and  his  powers  of  invention 
increase  with  the  credulity  of  his  auditors.  He  knows  just  the 
sort  of  information  wanted,  and  furnishes  it  to  any  extent. 

This  is  not  a  supposed  case ;  I  have  met  with  several  indivi 
duals  like  the  one  described,  and  I  have  been  present  at  two  or 
three  of  their  interviews  with  strangers. 

Now,  when  the  scientific  voyager  arrives  at  home  with  his  col 
lection  of  wonders,  he  attempts,  perhaps,  to  give  a  description  of 
some  of  the  strange  people  he  has  been  visiting.  Instead  of  repre 
senting  them  as  a  community  of  lusty  savages,  who  are  leading  a 
merry,  idle,  innocent  life,  he  enters  into  a  very  circumstantial  and 
learned  narrative  of  certain  unaccountable  superstitions  and  prac 
tices,  about  which  he  knows  as  little  as  the  islanders  do  themselves. 
Having  had  little  time,  and  scarcely  any  opportunity,  to  become 
acquainted  with  the  customs  he  pretends  to  describe,  he  writes 
them  down  one  after  another  in  an  off-hand  haphazard  style ; 
and  were  the  book  thus  produced  to  be  translated  into  the  tongue 
of  the  people  of  whom  it  purports  to  give  the  history,  it  would  ap 
pear  quite  as  wonderful  to  them  as  it  does  to  the  American  public, 
and  much  more  improbable. 

For  my  own  part,  I  am  free  to  confess  my  almost  entire  inability 
to  gratify  any  curiosity  that  may  be  felt  with  regard  to  the  theo 
logy  of  the  valley,  I  doubt  whether  the  inhabitants  themselves 
could  do  so.  They  are  either  too  lazy  or  too  sensible  to  worry 
themselves  about  abstract  points  of  religious  belief.  While  I  was 
among  them,  they  never  held  any  synods  or  councils  to  settle  the 
principles  of  their  faith  by  agitating  them.  An  unbounded  liberty 
of  conscience  seemed  to  prevail.  Those  who  pleased  to  do  so  were 
allowed  to  repose  implicit  faith  in  an  ill-favored  god  with  a  large 


CHAP,  xxiv.]  EFFIGY  OF  A  WARRIOR.  219 

bottle-nose  and  fat  shapeless  arms  crossed  upon  his  breast ;  whilst 
others  worshipped  an  image  which,  having  no  likeness  either  in 
heaven  or  on  earth,  could  hardly  be  called  an  idol.  As  the 
islanders  always  maintained  a  discreet  reserve  with  regard  to  my 
own  peculiar  views  on  religion,  I  thought  it  would  be  excessively 
ill-bred  in  me  to  pry  into  theirs. 

But,  although  my  knowledge  of  the  religious  faith  of  the  Typees 
was  unavoidably  limited,  one  of  their  superstitious  observances 
with  which  I  became  acquainted  interested  me  greatly. 

In  one  of  the  most  secluded  portions  of  the  valley  within  a 
stone's  cast  of  Fayaway's  lake — for  so  I  christened  the  scene  of 
our  island  yachting — and  hard  by  a  growth  of  palms,  which  stood 
ranged  in  order  along  both  banks  of  the  stream,  waving  their 
green  arms  as  if  to  do  honor  to  its  passage,  was  the  mausoleum  of 
a  deceased  warrior  chief.  Like  all  the  other  edifices  of  any  note, 
it  was  raised  upon  a  small  pi-pi  of  stones,  which,  being  of  unusual 
height,  was  a  conspicuous  object  from  a  distance.  A  light  thatch 
ing  of  bleached  palmetto-leaves  hung  over  it  like  a  self-supported 
canopy ;  for  it  was  not  until  you  came  very  near  that  you  saw  it 
was  supported  by  four  slender  columns  of  bamboo  rising  at  each 
corner  to  a  little  morothan  the  height  of  a  man.  A  clear  area  of 
a  few  yards  surrounded  the  pi-pi,  and  was  enclosed  by  four  trunks 
of  cocoa-nut  trees  resting  at  the  angles  on  massive  blocks  of  stone. 
The  place  was  sacred.  The  sign  of  the  inscrutable  Taboo  was 
seen  in  the  shape  of  a  mystic  roll  of  white  Tappa,  suspended  by  a 
twisted  cord  of  the  same  material  from  the  top  of  a  slight  pole 
planted  within  the  enclosure.*  The  sanctity  of  the  spot  appeared 
never  to  have  been  violated.  The  stillness  of  the  grave  was 
there,  and  the  calm  solitude  around  was  beautiful  and  touching. 
The  soft  shadows  of  those  lofty  palm-trees  ! — I  can  see  them  now 
— hanging  over  the  little  temple,  as  if  to  keep  out  the  intru 
sive  sun. 

*  White  appears  to  be  the  sacred  color  among  the  Marquesans. 


220  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  xxiv. 


On  all  sides  as  you  approached  this  silent  spot  you  caught 
sight  of  the  dead  chiefs  effigy,  seated  in  the  stern  of  a  canoe, 
which  was  raised  on  a  light  frame  a  few  inches  above  the  level 
of  the  pi-pi.  The  canoe  was  about  seven  feet  in  length  ;  of  a 
rich,  dark  colored  wood,  handsomely  carved  and  adorned  in 
many  places  with  variegated  bindings  of  stained  sinnate,  into 
which  were  ingeniously  wrought  a  number  of  sparkling  sea- 
shells,  and  a  belt  of  the  same  shells  ran '  all  round  it.  The  body 
of  the  figure — of  whatever  material  it  might  have  been  made — 
was  effectually  concealed  in  a  heavy  robe  of  brown  tappa,  re 
vealing  only  the  hands  and  head  ;  the  latter  skilfully  carved  in 
wood,  and  surmounted  by  a  superb  arch  of  plumes.  These 
plumes,  in  the  subdued  and  gentle  gales  which  found  access  to 
this  sequestered  spot,  were  never  for  one  moment  at  rest,  but  kept 
nodding  and  waving  over  the  chief's  brow.  The  long  leaves  of 
the  palmetto  dropped  over  the  eaves,  and  through  them  you  saw 
the  warrior  holding  his  paddle  with  both  hands  in  the  act  of 
rowing,  leaning  forward  and  inclining  his  head,  as  if  eager  to 
hurry  on  his  voyage.  Glaring  at  him  for  ever,  and  face  to  face, 
was  a  polished  human  skull,  which  crowned  the  prow  of  the 
canoe.  The  spectral  figurehead,  reversed  in  its  position,  glancing 
backwards,  seemed  to  mock  the  impatient  attitude  of  the  warrior. 

When  I  first  visited  this  singular  place  with  Kory-Kory,  he 
told  me — or  at  least  I  so  understood  him — that  the  chief  was 
paddling  his  way  to  the  realms  of  bliss,  and  bread-fruit — the 
Polynesian  heaven — where  every  moment  the  bread-fruit  trees 
dropped  their  ripened  spheres  to  the  ground,  and  where  there 
was  no  end  to  the  cocoa-nuts  and  bananas  ;  there  they  reposed 
through  the  livelong  eternity  upon  mats  much  finer  than  those 
of  Typee  ;  and  every  day  bathed  their  glowing  limbs  in  rivers  of 
cocoa-nut  oil.  In  that  happy  land  there  were  plenty  of  plumes 
and  feathers,  and  boars'-tusks  and  sperm-whale  teeth,  far  prefer 
able  to  all  the  shining  trinkets  and  gay  tappa  of  the  white  men ; 


CHAP,  xxiv.]  RELIGION  IN  TYPEE.  221 

and,  best  of  all,  women  far  lovelier  than  the  daughters  of  earth 
were  there  in  abundance.  "  A  very  pleasant  place,"  Kory-Kory 
said  it  was ;  "  but  after  all,  not  much  pleasanter,  he  thought, 
than  Typee."  "  Did  he  not  then,"  1  asked  him,  "  wish  to  ac 
company  the  warrior  ?"  "  Oh  no  :  he  was  very  happy  where  he 
was  ;  but  supposed  that  some  time  or  other  he  would  go  in  his 
own  canoe." 

Thus  far,  I  think,  I  clearly  comprehended  Kory-Kory.  But 
there  was  a  singular  expression  he  made  use  of  at  the  time,  en 
forced  by  as  singular  a  gesture,  the  meaning  of  which  I  would 
have  given  much  to  penetrate.  I  am  inclined  to  believe  it  must 
have  been  a  proverb  he  uttered ;  for  I  afterwards  heard  him 
repeat  the  same  words  several  times,  and  in  what  appeared  to  me 
to  be  a  somewhat  similar  sense.  Indeed,  Kory-Kory  had  a  great 
variety  of  short,  smart-sounding  sentences,  with  which  he  fre 
quently  enlivened  his  discourse  ;  and  he  introduced  them  with  an 
air  which  plainly  intimated,  that  in  his  opinion,  they  settled  the 
matter  in  question,  whatever  it  might  be. 

Could  it  have  been  then,  that  when  I  asked  him  whether  he 
desired  to  go  to  this  heaven  of  bread-fruit,  cocoa-nuts,  and  young 
ladies,  which  he  had  been  describing,  he  answered  by  saying 
something  equivalent  to  our  old  adage — "  A  bird  in  the  hand  is 
worth  two  in  the  bush  ?" — if  he  did,  Kory-Kory  was  a  discreet 
and  sensible  fellow,  and  I  cannot  sufficiently  admire  his  shrewd 
ness. 

Whenever,  in  the  course  of  my  rambles  through  the  valley,  I 
happened  to  be  near  the  chief's  mausoleum,  1  always  turned 
aside  to  visit  it.  The  place  had  a  peculiar  charm  for  me  ;  I 
hardly  know  why,  but  so  it  was.  As  I  leaned  over  the  railing 
and  gazed  upon  the  strange  effigy  and  watched  the  play  of  the 
feathery  head-dress,  stirred  by  the  same  breeze  which  in  low  tones 
breathed  amidst  the  lofty  palm-trees,  I  loved  to  yield  myself  up 
to  the  fanciful  superstition  of  the  islanders,  and  could  almost  be- 


222  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS         [CHAP.  xxiv. 

lieve  that  the  grim  warrior  was  bound  heavenward.  In  this 
mood  when  I  turned  to  depart,  I  bade  him  "  God  speed,  and  a 
pleasant  voyage."  Ay,  paddle  away,  brave  chieftain,  to  the 
land  of  spirits  !  To  the  material  eye  thou  makest  but  little  pro 
gress  ;  but  with  the  eye  of  faith,  I  see  thy  canoe  cleaving  the 
bright  waves,  which  die  away  on  those  dimly  looming  shores  of 
Paradise. 

This  strange  superstition  affords  another  evidence  of  the  fact, 
that  however  ignorant  man  may  be,  he  still  feels  within  him  his 
immortal  spirit  yearning  after  the  unknown  future. 

Although  the  religious  theories  of  the  islands  were  a  complete 
mystery  to  me,  their  practical  every-day  operation  could  not  be 
concealed.  I  frequently  passed  the  little  temples  reposing  in  the 
shadows  of  the  Taboo  groves,  and  beheld  the  offerings — mouldy 
fruit  spread  out  upon  a  rude  altar,  or  hanging  in  half-decayed 
baskets  around  some  uncouth  jolly-looking  images ;  I  was  present 
during  the  continuance  of  the  festival ;  I  daily  beheld  the  grin 
ning  idols  marshalled  rank  and  file  in  the  Hoolah  Hoolah  ground, 
and  was  often  in  the  habit  of  meeting  those  whom  I  supposed  to 
be  the  priests.  But  the  temples  seemed  to  be  abandoned  to  soli 
tude  ;  the  festival  had  been  nothing  more  than  a  jovial  mingling 
of  the  tribe  ;  the  idols  were  quite  as  harmless  as  any  other  logs 
of  wood  ;  and  the  priests  were  the  merriest  dogs  in  the  valley. 

In  fact  religious  affairs  in  Typee  were  at  a  very  low  ebb  :  all 
such  matters  sat  very  lightly  upon  the  thoughtless  inhabitants ; 
and,  in  the  celebration  of  many  of  their  strange  rites,  they  ap 
peared  merely  to  seek  a  sort  of  childish  amusement. 

A  curious  evidence  of  this  was  given  in  a  remarkable  ceremony 
in  which  I  frequently  saw  Mehevi  and  several  other  chiefs  and 
warriors  of  note  take  part ;  but  never  a  single  female. 

Among  those  whom  I  looked  upon  as  forming  the  priesthood 
of  the  valley,  there  was  one  in  particular  who  often  attracted  my 
notice,  and  whom  I  could  not  help  regarding  as  the  head  of  the 


CHAP,  xxiv.]  LORD  PRIMATE  OF  TYPEE.  223 

order.  He  was  a  noble  looking  man,  in  the  prime  of  his  life,  and 
of  a  most  benignant  aspect.  The  authority  this  man,  whose  name 
was  Kolory,  seemed  to  exercise  over  the  rest,  the  episcopal  part 
he  took  in  the  Feast  of  Calabashes,  his  sleek  and  complacent  ap 
pearance,  the  mystic  characters  which  were  tattooed  upon  his 
chest,  and  above  all  the  mitre  he  frequently  wore,  in  the  shape 
of  a  towering  head-dress,  consisting  of  part  of  a  cocoa-nut  branch, 
the  stalk  planted  uprightly  on  his  brow,  and  the  leaflets  gathered 
together  and  passed  round  the  temples  and  behind  the  ears,  all 
these  pointed  him  out  as  Lord  Primate  of  Typee.  Kolory  was 
a  sort  of  Knight  Templar — a  soldier-priest ;  for  he  often  wore 
the  dress  of  a  Marquesan  warrior,  and  always  carried  a  long 
spear,  which,  instead  of  terminating  in  a  paddle  at  the  lower  end, 
after  the  general  fashion  of  these  weapons,  was  curved  into  a  hea 
thenish-looking  little  image.  This  instrument,  however,  might 
perhaps  have  been  emblematic  of  his  double  functions.  With  one 
end  in  carnal  combat  he  transfixed  the  enemies  of  his  tribe  ;  and 
with  the  other  as  a  pastoral  crook  he  kept  in  order  his  spiritual 
flock.  But  this  is  not  all  I  have  to  say  about  Kolory.  His  mar 
tial  grace  very  often  carried  about  with  him  what  seemed  to  me 
the  half  of  a  broken  war-club.  It  was  swathed  round  with  rag 
ged  bits  of  white  tappa,  and  the  upper  part,  which  was  intended 
to  represent  a  human  head,  was  embellished  with  a  strip  of  scar, 
let  cloth  of  European  manufacture.  It  required  little  observation 
to  discover  that  this  strange  object  was  revered  as  a  god.  By  the 
side  of  the  big  and  lusty  images  standing  sentinel  over  the  altars 
of  the  Hoolah  Hoolah  ground,  it  seemed  a  mere  pigmy  in  tatters. 
But  appearances  all  the  world  over  are  deceptive.  Little  men 
are  sometimes  very  potent,  and  rags  sometimes  eover  very  ex 
tensive  pretensions.  In  fact,  this  funny  little  image  was  the 
"  crack  "  god  of  the  island  ;  lording  it  over  all  the  wooden  lub 
bers  who  looked  so  grim  and  dreadful ;  its  name  was  Moa  Artua.* 
*  The  word  "  Artua,"  although  having  some  other  significations,  is  in 
11* 


224  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.        [CHAP.  xxjv. 

And  it  was  in  honor  of  Moa  Artua,  and  for  the  entertainment  of 
those  who  believe  in  him,  that  the  curious  ceremony  I  am  about 
to  describe  was  observed. 

Mehevi  and  the  chieftains  of  the  Ti  have  just  risen  from  their 
noontide  slumbers.  There  are  no  affairs  of  state  to  dispose  of; 
and  having  eaten  two  or  three  breakfasts  in  the  course  of  the 
morning,  the  magnates  of  the  valley  feel  no  appetite  as  yet  for 
dinner.  How  are  their  leisure  moments  to  be  occupied  1  They 
smoke,  they  chat,  and  at  last  one  of  their  number  makes  a  propo 
sition  to  the  rest,  who  joyfully  acquiescing,  he  darts  out  of  the 
house,  leaps  from  the  pi-pi,  and  disappears  in  the  grove.  Soon 
you  see  him  returning  with  Kolory,  who  bears  the  god  Moa 
Artua  in  his  arms,  and  carries  in  one  hand  a  small  trough,  hol 
lowed  out  in  the  likeness  of  a  canoe.  The  priest  comes  along 
dandling  his  charge  as  if  it  were  a  lachrymose  infant  he  was  en 
deavoring  to  put  into  a  good  humor.  Presently  entering  the  Ti, 
he  seats  himself  on  the  mats  as  composedly  as  a  juggler  about 
to  perform  his  sleight-of-hand  tricks  ;  and  with  the  chiefs  disposed 
in  a  circle  around  him,  commences  his  ceremony. 

In  the  first  place  he  gives  Moa  Artua  an  affectionate  hug,  then 
caressingly  lays  him  to  his  breast,  and,  finally,  whispers  some 
thing  in  his  ear  ;  the  rest  of  the  company  listening  eagerly  for  a 
reply.  But  the  baby-god  is  deaf  or  dumb, — perhaps  both,  for 
never  a  word  does  he  utter.  At  last  Kolory  speaks  a  little  louder, 
and  soon  growing  angry,  comes  boldly  out  with  what  he  has  to 
say  and  bawls  to  him.  He  put  me  in  mind  of  a  choleric  fellow, 
who,  after  trying  in  vain  to  communicate  a  secret  to  a  deaf  man, 
all  at  once  flies  into  a  passion  and  screams  it  out  so  that  every  one 
may  hear.  Still  Moa  Artua  remains  as  quiet  as  ever  ;  and  Ko 
lory,  seemingly  losing  his  temper,  fetches  him  a  box  over  the 
head,  strips  him  of  his  tappa  and  red  cloth,  and  laying  him  in  a 

nearly  all  the  Polynesian  dialects  used  as  the  general  designation  of  the 
gods. 


CHAP,  xxiv.]  MO  A  ARTUA.  225 

state  of  nudity  in  a  little  trough,  covers  him  from  sight.  At  this 
proceeding  all  present  loudly  applaud  and  signify  their  approval 
by  uttering  the  adjective  "  motarkee"  with  violent  emphasis. 
Kolory,  however,  is  so  desirous  his  conduct  should  meet  with  un 
qualified  approbation,  that  he  inquires  of  each  individual  sepa 
rately  whether  under  existing  circumstances  he  has  not  done  per 
fectly  right  in  shutting  up  Moa  Artua.  The  invariable  response 
is  "  Aa,  Aa"  (yes,  yes),  repeated  over  again  and  again  in  a 
manner  which  ought  to  quiet  the  scruples  of  the  most  conscien 
tious.  After  a  few  moments  Kolory  brings  forth  his.  doll  again, 
and  while  arraying  it  very  carefully  in  the  tappa  and  red  cloth, 
alternately  fondles  and  chides  it.  The  toilet  being  completed,  he 
once  more  speaks  to  it  aloud.  The  whole  company  hereupon 
show  the  greatest  interest ;  while  the  priest  holding  Moa  Artua  to 
his  ear  interprets  to  them  what  he  pretends  the  god  is  confiden 
tially  communicating  to  him.  Some  items  of  intelligence  appear 
to  tickle  all  present  amazingly  ;  for  one  claps  his  hands  in  a  rap 
ture  ;  another  shouts  with  merriment ;  and  a  third  leaps  to  his 
feet  and  capers  about  like  a  madman. 

What  under  the  sun  Moa  Artua  on  these  occasions  had  to  say 
to  Kolory  I  never  could  find  out ;  but  I  could  not  help  thinking 
that  the  former  showed  a  sad  want  of  spirit  in  being  disciplined 
into  making  those  disclosures,  which  at  first  he  seemed  bent  on 
withholding.  Whether  the  priest  honestly  interpreted  what  he 
believed  the  divinity  said  to  him,  or  whether  he  was  not  all  the 
while  guilty  of  a  vile  humbug,  I  shall  not  presume  to  decide. 
At  any  rate,  whatever  as  coming  from  the  god  was  imparted  to 
those  present  seemed  to  be  generally  of  a  complimentary  nature : 
a  fact  which  illustrates  the  sagacity  of  Kolory,  or  else  the  time 
serving  disposition  of  this  hardly  used  deity. 

Moa  Artua  having  nothing  more  to  say,  his  bearer  goes  to 
nursing  him  again,  in  which  occupation,  however,  he  is  soon  inter 
rupted  by  a  question  put  by  one  of  the  warriors  to  the  god.  Ko- 


226  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.        [CHAP.  xxiv. 

lory  hereupon  snatches  it  up  to  his  ear  again,  and  after  listening 
attentively,  once  more  officiates  as  the  organ  of  communication. 
A  multitude  of  questions  and  answers  having  passed  between  the 
parties,  much  to  the  satisfaction  of  those  who  propose  them,  the  god 
is  put  tenderly  to  bed  in  the  trough,  and  the  whole  company  unite 
in  a  long  chant,  led  off  by  Kolory.  This  ended,  the  ceremony 
is  over ;  the  chiefs  rise  to  their  feet  in  high  good  humor,  and  my 
Lord  Archbishop,  after  chatting  awhile,  and  regaling  himself  with 
a  whiff  or  two  from  a  pipe  of  tobacco,  tucks  the  canoe  under  his 
arm  and  marches  off  with  it. 

The  whole  of  these  proceedings  were  like  those  of  a  parcel  of 
children  playing  with  dolls  and  baby  houses. 

For  a  youngster  scarcely  ten  inches  high,  and  with  so  few  early 
advantages  as  he  doubtless  had  had,  Moa  Artua  was  certainly  a 
precocious  little  fellow  if  he  really  said  all  that  was  imputed  to 
him  ;  but  for  what  reason  this  pocr  devil  of  a  deity,  thus  cuffed 
about,  cajoled,  and  shut  up  in  a  box,  was  held  in  greater  estima 
tion  than  the  full-grown  and  dignified  personages  of  the  Taboo 
Groves,  I  cannot  divine.  And  yet  Mehevi,  and  other  chiefs  of 
unquestionable  veracity — to  say  nothing  of  the  Primate  himself — 
assured  me  over  and  over  again  that  Moa  Artua  was  the  tutelary 
deity  of  Typee,  and  was  more  to  be  held  in  honor  than  a  whole 
battalion  of  the  clumsy  idols  in  the  Hoolah  Hoolah  grounds. 
Kory-Kory — who  seemed  to  have  devoted  considerable  attention 
to  the  study  of  theology,  as  he  knew  the  names  of  all  the  graven 
images  in  the  valley,  and  often  repeated  them  over  to  me — like 
wise  entertained  some  rather  enlarged  ideas  with  regard  to  the 
character  and  pretensions  of  Moa  Artua.  He  once  gave  me  to 
understand,  with  a  gesture  there  was  no  misconceiving,  that  if  he 
(Moa  Artua)  were  so  minded  he  could  cause  a  cocoa-nut  tree  to 
sprout  out  of  his  (Kory-Kory's)  head  ;  and  that  it  would  be  the  easi 
est  thing  in  life  for  him  (Moa  Artua)  to  take  the  whole  island  of  Nu- 


CHAP,  xxiv.]  RELIGION  OF  POLYNESIA.  227 

kuheva  in  his  mouth  and  dive  down  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea 
with  it. 

But  in  sober  seriousness,  I  hardly  knew  what  to  make  of  the 
religion  of  the  valley.  There  was  nothing  that  so  much  per- 
plexed  the  illustrious  Cook,  in  his  intercourse  with  the  South  Sea 
islanders,  as  their  sacred  rites.  Although  this  prince  of  naviga 
tors  was  in  many  instances  assisted  by  interpreters  in  the  prose 
cution  of  his  researches,  he  still  frankly  acknowledges  that  he 
was  at  a  loss  to  obtain  anything  like  a  clear  insight  into  ihe  puz 
zling  arcana  of  their  faith.  A  similar  admission  has  been  made 
by  other  eminent  voyagers  :  by  Carteret,  Byron,  Kotzebue,  and 
Vancouver. 

For  my  own  part,  although  hardly  a  day  passed  while  I  re 
mained  upon  the  island  that  I  did  not  witness  some  religious  cere 
mony  or  other,  it  was  very  much  like  seeing  a  parcel  of  "  Free 
masons"  making  secret  signs  to  each  other ;  I  saw  everything,  but 
could  comprehend  nothing.  . 

On  the  whole,  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  the  islanders  in  the 
Pacific  have  no  fixed  and  definite  ideas  whatever  on  the  subject 
of  religion.  I  am  persuaded  that  Kolory  himself  would  be  effec 
tually  posed  were  he  called  upon  to  draw  up  the  articles  of  his 
faith,  and  pronounce  the  creed  by  which  he  hoped  to  be  saved. 
In  truth,  the  Typees,  so  far  as  their  actions  evince,  submitted  to 
no  laws  human  or  divine — always  excepting  the  thrice  mysteri 
ous  Taboo.  The  "  independent  electors"  of  the  valley  were  not 
to  be  brow-beaten  by  chiefs,  priests,  idols,  or  devils.  As  for  the 
luckless  idols,  they  received  more  hard  knocks  than  supplica 
tions.  I  do  not  wonder  that  some  of  them  looked  so  grim,  and 
stood  so  bolt  upright,  as  if  fearful  of  looking  to  the  right  or  the 
left  lest  they  should  give  any  one  offence.  The  fact  is,  they  had 
to  carry  themselves  "pretty  straight"  or  suffer  the  consequences. 
Their  worshippers  were  such  a  precious  set  of  fickle-minded  and 
irreverent  heathens,  that  there  was  no  telling  when  they  might 


228  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.          [CHAP.  xxiv. 


topple  one  of  them  over,  break  it  to  pieces,  and  making  a  fire 
with  it  on  the  very  altar  itself,  fall  to  roasting  the  offerings  of 
bread-fruit,  and  eat  them  in  spite  of  its  teeth. 

In  how  little  reverence  these  unfortunate  deities  were  held  by 
the  natives  was  on  one  occasion  most  convincingly  proved  to  me. 
Walking  with  Kory-Kory  through  the  deepest  recesses  of  the 
groves,  I  perceived  a  curious  looking  image,  about  six  feet  in 
height,  which  originally  had  been  placed  upright  against  a  low 
pi-pi,  surmounted  by  a  ruinous  bamboo  temple,  but  having  be 
come  fatigued  and  weak  in  the  knees,  was  now  carelessly  leaning 
against  it.  The  idol  was  partly  concealed  by  the  foliage  of  a  tree 
which  stood  near,  and  whose  leafy  boughs  drooped  over  the  pile 
of  stones,  as  if  to  protect  the  rude  fane  from  the  decay  to  which 
it  was  rapidly  hastening.  The  image  itself  was  nothing  more 
than  a  grotesquely  shaped  log,  carved  in  the  likeness  of  a  portly 
naked  man  with  the  arms  clasped  over  the  head,  the  jaws  thrown 
wide  apart,  and  its  thick  shapeless  legs  bowed  into  an  arch.  It 
was  much  decayed.  The  lower  part  was  overgrown  with  a  bright 
silky  moss.  Thin  spears  of  grass  sprouted  from  the  distended 
mouthj  and  fringed  the  outline  of  the  head  and  arms.  His  god- 
ship  had  literally  attained  a  green  old  age.  All  its  prominent 
points  were  bruised  and  battered,  or  entirely  rotted  away.  The 
nose  had  taken  its  departure,  and  from  the  general  appearance  of 
the  head  it  might  have  been  supposed  that  the  wooden  divinity,  in 
despair  at  the  neglect  of  its  worshippers,  had  been  trying  to  beat 
its  own  brains  out  against  the  surrounding  trees. 

I  drew  near  to  inspect  more  closely  this  strange  object  of  ido 
latry  ;  but  halted  reverently  at  the  distance  of  two  or  three  paces, 
out  of  regard  to  the  religious  prejudices  of  my  valet.  As  soon, 
however,  as  Kory-Kory  perceived  that  I  was  in  one  of  my  inquir 
ing,  scientific  moods,  to  my  astonishment,  he  sprang  to  the  side 
of  the  idol,  and  pushing  it  away  from  the  stones  against  which  it 
rested,  endeavored  to  make  it  stand  upon  its  legs.  But  the  divi- 


CHAP,  xxiv.]  IDOLS  AND  PRIESTS.  229 

nity  had  lost  the  use  of  them  altogether ;  and  while  Kory-Kory 
was  trying  to  prop  it  up,  by  placing  a  stick  between  it  and  the 
pi-pi,  the  monster  fell  clumsily  to  the  ground,  and  would  infalli 
bly  have  broken  its  neck  had  not  Kory-Kory  providentially  broken 
its  fall  by  receiving  its  whole  weight  on  his  own  ha  If- crushed 
back.  I  never  saw  the  honest  fellow  in  such  a  rage  before.  He 
leaped  furiously  to  his  feet,  and  seizing  the  stick,  began  beating 
the  poor  image  ;  every  moment  or  two  pausing  and  talking  to  it 
in  the  most  violent  manner,  as  if  upbraiding  it  for  the  accident. 
When  his  indignation  had  subsided  a  little  he  whirled  the  idol 
about  most  profanely,  so  as  to  give  me  an  opportunity  of  examin 
ing  it  on  all  sides.  I  am  quite  sure  I  never  should  have  pre 
sumed  to  have  taken  such  liberties  with  the  god  myself,  and  I 
was  not  a  little  shocked  at  Kory-Kory 's  impiety. 

This  anecdote  speaks  for  itself.  When  one  of  the  inferior 
order  of  natives  could  show  such  contempt  for  a  venerable  and 
decrepit  God  of  the  Groves,  what  the  state  of  religion  must  be 
among  the  people  in  general  is  easily  to  be  imagined.  In  truth, 
I  regard  the  Typees  as  a  back-slidden  generation.  They  are 
sunk  in  religious  sloth,  and  require  a  spiritual  revival.  A  long 
prosperity  of  bread-fruit  and  cocoa-nuts  has  rendered  them  remiss 
in  the  performance  of  their  higher  obligations.  The  wood-rot 
malady  is  spreading  among  the  idols — the  fruit  upon  their  altars 
is  becoming  offensive — the  temples  themselves  need  re-thatching 
— the  tattooed  clergy  are  altogether  too  light-hearted  and  lazy — 
and  their  flocks  are  going  astray. 


230  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.        [CHAP.  xxv. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

General  Information  gathered  at  the  Festival — Personal  Beauty  of  the 
Typees — Their  Superiority  over  the  Inhabitants  of  the  other  Islands — 
Diversity  of  Complexion — A  Vegetable  Cosmetic  and  Ointment — Testi 
mony  of  Voyagers  to  the  Uncommon  Beauty  of  the  Marquesans — Few 
Evidences  of  Intercourse  with  Civilized  Beings — Dilapidated  Musket — 
Primitive  Simplicity  of  Government — Regal  Dignity  of  Mehevi. 

ALTHOUGH  I  had  been  unable  during  the  late  festival  to  obtain 
information  on  many  interesting  subjects  which  had  much  excited 
my  curiosity,  still  that  important  event  had  not  passed  by  without 
adding  materially  to  my  general  knowledge  of  the  islanders. 

I  was  especially  struck  by  the  physical  strength  and  beauty 
which  they  displayed,  by  their  great  superiority  in  these  respects 
over  the  inhabitants  of  the  neighboring  bay  of  Nukuheva,  and 
by  the  singular  contrasts  they  presented  among  themselves  in 
their  various  shades  of  complexion. 

In  beauty  of  form  they  surpassed  anything  I  had  ever  seen. 
Not  a  single  instance  of  natural  deformity  was  observable  in  all 
the  throng  attending  the  revels.  Occasionally  I  noticed  among 
the  men  the  scars  of  wounds  they  had  received  in  battle  j  and 
sometimes,  though  very  seldom,  the  loss  of  a  finger,  an  eye,  or 
an  arm,  attributable  to  the  same  cause.  With  these  exceptions, 
every  individual  appeared  free  from  those  blemishes  which  some 
times  mar  the  effect  of  an  otherwise  perfect  form.  But  their 
physical  excellence  did  not  merely  consist  in  an  exemption  from 
these  evils  ;  nearly  every  individual  of  their  number  might  have 
been  taken  for  a  sculptor's  model. 

When  I  remembered  that  these  islanders  derived  no  advantage 


CHAP,  xxv.]  PHYSICAL  PECULIARITIES.  231 

from  dress,  but  appeared  in  all  the  naked  simplicity  of  nature,  I 
could  not  avoid  comparing  them  with  the  fine  gentlemen  and 
dandies  who  promenade  such  unexceptionable  figures  in  our -fre 
quented  thoroughfares.  Stripped  of  the  cunning  artifices  of  the 
tailor,  and  standing  forth  in  the  garb  of  Eden, — what  a  sorry  set 
of  round-shouldered,  spindle-shanked,  crane-necked  varlets  would 
civilized  men  appear  !  Stuffed  calves,  padded  breasts,  and  scien 
tifically  cut  pantaloons  would  then  avail  them  nothing,  and  the 
effect  would  be  truly  deplorable. 

Nothing  in  the  appearance  of  the  islanders  struck  me  more 
forcibly  than  the  whiteness  of  their  teeth.  The  novelist  always 
compares  the  masticators  of  his  heroine  to  ivory  ;  but  I  boldly 
pronounce  the  teeth  of  the  Typees  to  be  far  more  beautiful  than 
ivory  itself.  The  jaws  of  the  oldest  greybeards  among  them 
were  much  better  garnished  than  those  of  most  of  the  youths  of 
civilized  countries ;  while  the  teeth  of  the  young  and  middle- 
aged,  in  their  purity  and  whiteness,  were  actually  dazzling  to 
the  eye.  This  marvellous  whiteness  of  the  teeth  is  to  be  ascribed 
to  the  pure  vegetable  diet  of  these  people,  and  the  uninterrupted 
healthfulness  of  their  natural  mode  of  life. 

The  men,  in  almost  every  instance,  are  of  lofty  stature,  scarcely 
ever  less  than  six  feet  in  height,  while  the  other  sex  are  uncom 
monly  diminutive.  The  early  period  of  life  at  which  the  human 
form  arrives  at  maturity  in  this  generous  tropical  climate,  like 
wise  deserves  to  be  mentioned.  A  little  creature,  not  more  than 
thirteen  years  of  age,  and  who  in  other  particulars  might  be 
regarded  as  a  mere  child,  is  often  seen  nursing  her  own  baby ; 
whilst  lads  who,  under  less  ripening  skies,  would  be  still  at  school, 
are  here  responsible  fathers  of  families. 

On  first  entering  the  Typee  Valley,  I  had  been  struck  with  the 
marked  contrast  presented  by  its  inhabitants  with  those  of  the  bay 
J  had  previously  left.  In  the  latter  place,  I  had  riot  been  favora 
bly  impressed  with  the  personal  appearance  of  the  male  portion 


232  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xxv. 

of  the  population ;  although  with  the  females,  excepting  in  some 
truly  melancholy  instances,  I  had  been  wonderfully  pleased.  I 
had  observed  that  even  the  little  intercourse  Europeans  had  car- 
ried  on  with  the  Nukuheva  natives  had  not  failed  to  leave  its 
traces  amongst  them.  One  of  the  most  dreadful  curses  under 
which  humanity  labors  had  commenced  its  havocs,  and  betrayed, 
as  it  ever  does  among  the  South  Sea  islanders,  the  most  aggra 
vated  symptoms.  From  this,  as  from  all  other  foreign  inflictions, 
the  yet  uncontaminated  tenants  of  the  Typee  Valley  were 
wholly  exempt ;  and  long  may  they  continue  so.  Better  it  will 
be  for  them  for  ever  to  remain  the  happy  and  innocent  heathens 
and  barbarians  that  they  now  are,  than,  like  the  wretched  inha 
bitants  of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  to  enjoy  the  mere  name  of  Chris 
tians  without  experiencing  any  of  the  vital  operations  of  true 
religion,  whilst,  at  the  same  time,  they  are  made  the  victims  of 
the  worst  vices  and  evils  of  civilized  life. 

Apart,  however,  from  these  considerations,  I  am  inclined  to 
believe  that  there  exists  a  radical  difference  between  the  two 
tribes,  if  indeed  they  are  not  distinct  races  of  men.  To  those 
who  have  merely  touched  at  Nukuheva  Bay,  without  visiting 
other  portions  of  the  island,  it  would  hardly  appear  credible  the 
diversities  presented  between  the  various  small  clans  inhabiting 
so  diminutive  a  spot.  But  the  hereditary  hostility  which  has 
existed  between  them  for  ages,  fully  accounts  for  this. 

Not  so  easy,  however,  is  it  to  assign  an  adequate  cause  for  the 
endless  variety  of  complexions  to  be  seen  in  the  Typee  Valley. 
During  the  festival,  I  had  noticed  several  young  females  whose 
skins  were  almost  as  white  as  any  Saxon  damsels ;  a  slight  dash 
of  the  mantling  brown  being  all  that  marked  the  difference. 
This  comparative  fairness  of  complexion,  though  in  a  great  de 
gree  perfectly  natural,  is  partly  the  result  of  an  artificial  process, 
and  of  an  entire  exclusion  from  the  sun.  The  juice  of  the 
"  papa  "  root,  found  in  great  abundance  at  the  head  of  the  valley, 


CHAP,  xxv.]  COSMETICS.  233 

is  held  in  great  esteem  as  a  cosmetic,  with  which  many  of  the 
females  daily  anoint  their  whole  person.  The  habitual  use  of 
it  whitens  and  beautifies  the  skin.  Those  of  the  young  girls 
who  resort  to  this  method  of  heightening  their  charms,  never 
expose  themselves  to  the  rays  of  the  sun  ;  an  observance,  how 
ever,  that  produces  little  or  no  inconvenience,  since  there  are 
but  few  of  the  inhabited  portions  of  the  vale  which  are  not 
shaded  over  with  a  spreading  canopy  of  boughs,  so  that  one 
may  journey  from  house  to  house,  scarcely  deviating  from  the 
direct  course,  and  yet  never  once  see  his  shadow  cast  upon  the 
ground. 

The  "  papa,"  when  used,  is  suffered  to  remain  upon  the  skin 
for  several  hours  ;  being  of  a  light  green  color,  it  conse 
quently  imparts  for  the  time  a  similar  hue  to  the  complexion. 
Nothing,  therefore,  can  be  imagined  more  singular  than  the  ap 
pearance  of  these  nearly  naked  damsels  immediately  after  the 
application  of  the  cosmetic.  To  look  at  one  of  them  you  would 
almost  suppose  she  was  some  vegetable  in  an  unripe  state  ;  and 
that,  instead  of  living  in  the  shade  for  ever,  she  ought  to  be 
placed  out  in  the  sun  to  ripen. 

All  the  islanders  are  more  or  less  in  the  habit  of  anointing 
themselves  ;  the  women  preferring  the  "  aker  "  or  "  papa,"  and 
the  men  using  the  oil  of  the  cocoa-nut.  Mehevi  was  remarkably 
fond  of  mollifying  his  entire  cuticle  with  this  ointment.  Some 
times  he  might  be  seen  with  his  whole  body  fairly  reeking  with 
the  perfumed  oil  of  the  nut,  looking  as  if  he  had  just  emerged 
from  a  soap-boiler's  vat,  or  had  undergone  the  process  of  dipping 
in  a  tallow-chandlery.  To  this  cause  perhaps,  united  to  their 
frequent  bathing  and  extreme  cleanliness,  is  ascribable,  in  a  great 
measure,  the  marvellous  purity  and  smoothness  of  skin  exhibited 
by  the  natives  in  general. 

The  prevailing  tint  among  the  women  of  the  valley  was  a 
light  olive,  and  of  this  style  of  complexion  Fayaway  afforded 


I 


234  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.         [CHAP.  xxv. 

the  most  beautiful  example.  Others  were  still  darker,  while 
not  a  few  were  of  a  genuine  golden  color,  and  some  of  a  swarthy 
hue. 

As  agreeing  with  much  previously  mentioned  in  this  narrative, 
I  may  here  observe,  that  Mendanna,  their  discoverer,  in  his  ac 
count  of  the  Marquesas,  described  the  natives  as  wondrously 
beautiful  to  behold,  and  as  nearly  resembling  the  people  of  southern 
Europe.  The  first  of  these  islands  seen  by  Mendanna  was  La 
Madelena,  which  is  not  far  distant  from  Nukuheva ;  and  its  in 
habitants  in  every  respect  resemble  those  dwelling  on  that  and 
the  other  islands  of  the  group.  Figneroa,  the  chronicler  of  Men- 
danna's  voyage,  says,  that  on  the  morning  the  land  was  descried, 
when  the  Spaniards  drew  near  the  shore,  there  sallied  forth,  in 
rude  procession,  about  seventy  canoes,  and  at  the  same  time 
many  of  the  inhabitants  (females  I  presume)  made  towards  the 
ships  by  swimming.  He  adds,  that  "  in  complexion  they  were 
nearly  white ;  of  good  stature,  and  finely  formed  ;  and  on  their 
faces  and  bodies  were  delineated  representations  of  fishes  and 
other  devices."  The  old  Don  then  goes  on  to  say,  "  There  came, 
among  others,  two  lads  paddling  their  canoe,  whose  eyes  were 
fixed  on  the  ship  ;  they  had  beautiful  faces  and  the  most  promis 
ing  animation  of  countenance ;  and  were  in  all  things  so  becom 
ing,  that  the  pilot-mayor  Quiros  affirmed,  nothing  in  his  life  ever 
caused  him  so  much  regret  as  the  leaving  such  fine  creatures  to 
be  lost  in  that  country."*  More  than  two  hundred  years  have 
gone  by  since  the  passage  of  which  the  above  is  a  translation 
was  written  ;  and  it  appears  to  me  now,  as  I  read  it,  as  fresh 

*  This  passage,  which  is  cited  as  an  almost  literal  translation  from  the 
original,  I  found  in  a  small  volume  entitled  "  Circumnavigation  of  the 
Globe,"  in  which  volume  are  several  extracts  from  "  Dalrymple's  Historical 
Collections."  The  last-mentioned  work  I  have  never  seen,  but  it  is  said  to 
contain  a  very  correct  English  version  of  great  part  of  the  learned  Doctor 
Christoval  Suaverde  de  Figneroa's  History  of  Mendanna's  Voyage,  pub 
lished  at  Madrid,  A.D.  1613 


CHAP,  xxv.]  BEAUTY  OF  THE  WOMEN.  235 

and  true  as  if  written  but  yesterday.  The  islanders  are  still  the 
same ;  and  I  have  seen  boys  in  the  Typee  Valley  of  whose 
"  beautiful  faces  and  promising  animation  of  countenance  "  no 
one  who  has  not  beheld  them  can  form  any  adequate  idea.  Cook, 
in  the  account  of  his  voyages,  pronounces  the  Marquesans  as  by 
far  the  most  splendid  islanders  in  the  South  Seas.  Stewart,  the 
chaplain  of  the  U.  S.  ship  Vincennes,  in  his  "  Scenes  in  the 
South  Seas,"  expresses,  in  more  than  one  place,  his  amazement 
at  the  surpassing  loveliness  of  the  women ;  and  says  that  many 
of  the  Nukuheva  damsels  reminded  him  forcibly  of  the  most 
celebrated  beauties  in  his  own  land.  Fanning,  a  Yankee  mari 
ner  of  some  reputation,  likewise  records  his  lively  impressions  of 
the  physical  appearance  of  these  people ;  and  Commodore  David 
Porter  of  the  U.  S.  frigate  Essex,  is  said  to  have  been  vastly 
smitten  by  the  beauty  of  the  ladies.  Their  great  superiority 
over  all  other  Polynesians  cannot  fail  to  attract  the  notice  of  those 
who  visit  the  principal  groups  in  the  Pacific,  The  voluptuous 
Tahitians  are  the  only  people  who  at  all  deserve  to  be  compared 
with  them  ;  while  the  dark-hued  Hawiians  and  the  woolly-headed 
Feegees  are  immeasurably  inferior  to  them.  The  distinguishing 
characteristic  of  the  Marquesan  islanders,  and  that  which  at 
once  strikes  you,  is  the  European  cast  of  their  features — a  pecu 
liarity  seldom  observable  among  other  uncivilized  people.  Many 
of  their  faces  present  a  profile  classically  beautiful,  and  in  the 
valley  of  Typee  I  saw  several  who,  like  the  stranger  Marnoo, 
were  in  every  respect  models  of  beauty. 

Some  of  the  natives  present  at  the  Feast  of  Calibashes  had 
displayed  a  few  articles  of  European  dress ;  disposed,  however, 
about  their  persons  after  their  own  peculiar  fashion.  Among 
these  I  perceived  the  two  pieces  of  cotton-cloth  which  poor  Toby 
and  myself  had  bestowed  upon  our  youthful  guides  the  afternoon 
we  entered  the  valley.  They  were  evidently  reserved  for  gala 
days ;  and  during  those  of  the  festival  they  rendered  the  young 


236  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.          [CHAP.  xxv. 

islanders  who  wore  them  very  distinguished  characters.  The 
small  number  who  were  similarly  adorned,  and  the  great  value 
they  appeared  to  place  upon  the  most  common  and  most  trivial 
articles,  furnished  ample  evidence  of  the  very  restricted  inter 
course  they  held  with  vessels  touching  at  the  island.  A  few  cot 
ton  handkerchiefs,  of  a  gay  pattern,  tied  about  the  neck,  and  suf 
fered  to  fall  over  the  shoulders  ;  strips  of  fanciful  calico,  swathed 
about  the  loins,  were  nearly  all  I  saw. 

Indeed,  throughout  the  valley,  there  were  few  things  of  any 
kind  to  be  seen  of  European  origin.  All  I  ever  saw,  besides  the 
articles  just  alluded  to,  were  the  six  muskets  preserved  in  the 
Ti,  and  three  or  four  similar  implements  of  warfare  hung  up 
in  other  houses ;  some  small  canvas  bags,  partly  filled  with  bul- 
tats  and  powder,  and  half  a  dozen  old  hatchet-heads,  with  the 
edges  blunted  and  battered  to  such  a  degree  as  to  render  them 
utterly  worthless.  These  last  seemed  to  be  regarded  as  nearly 
worthless  by  the  natives ;  and  several  times  they  held  up  one  of 
them  before  me,  and  throwing  it  aside  with  a  gesture  of  disgust, 
manifested  their  contempt  for  anything  that  could  so  soon  become 
unserviceable. 

But  the  muskets,  the  powder,  and  the  bullets  were  held  in 
most  extravagant  esteem.  The  former,  from  their  great  age  and 
the  peculiarities  they  exhibited,  were  well  worthy  a  place  in  any 
antiquarian's  armory.  I  remember  in  particular  one  that  hung 
in  the  Ti,  and  which  Mehevi — supposing  as  a  matter  of  course 
that  I  was  able  to  repair  it — had  put  into  my  hands  for  that  pur 
pose.  It  was  one  of  those  clumsy,  old-fashioned,  English  pieces 
known  generally  as  Tower  Hill  muskets,  and,  for  aught  I  know, 
might  have  been  left  on  the  island  by  Wallace,  Carteret,  Cook, 
or  Vancouver.  The  stock  was  half  rotten  and  worm-eaten ;  the 
lock  was  as  rusty  and  about  as  well  adapted  to  its  ostensible  pur 
pose  as  an  old  door-hinge  ;  the  threading  of  the  screws  about  the 
trigger  was  completely  worn  away ;  while  the  barrel  shook  in 


CHAP,  xxv.]  EQUALITY  OF  CONDITION.  237 

the  wood.  Such  was  the  weapon  the  chief  desired  me  to  restore 
to  its  original  condition.  As  I  did  not  possess  the  accomplish 
ments  of  a  gunsmith,  and  was  likewise  destitute  of  the  necessary 
tools,  I  was  reluctantly  obliged  to  signify  my  inability  to  perform 
the  task.  At  this  unexpected  communication  Mehevi  regarded 
me,  for  a  moment,  as  if  he  half  suspected  I  was  some  inferior 
sort  of  white  man,  who  after  all  did  not  know  much  more  than  a 
Typee.  However,  after  a  most  labored  explanation  of  the  mat 
ter,  I  succeeded  in  making  him  understand  the  extreme  difficulty 
of  the  task.  Scarcely  satisfied  with  my  apologies,  however,  he 
marched  off  with  the  superannuated  musket  in  something  of  a 
huff,  as  if  he  would  no  longer  expose  it  to  the  indignity  of  being 
manipulated  by  such  unskilful  fingers. 

During  the  festival  I  had  not  failed  to  remark  the  simplicity 
of  manner,  the  freedom  from  all  restraint,  and,  to  a  certain  de 
gree,  the  equality  of  condition  manifested  by  the  natives  in 
general.  No  one  appeared  to  assume  any  arrogant  pretensions. 
There  was  little  more  than  a  slight  difference  in  costume  to  dis 
tinguish  the  chiefs  from  the  other  natives.  All  appeared  to  mix 
together  freely,  and  without  any  reserve  ;  although  I  noticed 
that  the  wishes  of  a  chief,  even  when  delivered  in  the  mildest 
tone,  received  the  same  immediate  obedience  which  elsewhere 
would  have  been  only  accorded  to  a  peremptory  command. 
What  may  be  the  extent  of  the  authority  of  the  chiefs  over  the 
rest  of  the  tribe,  I  will  not  venture  to  assert ;  but  from  all  I  saw 
during  my  stay  in  the  valley,  I  was  induced  to  believe  that  in 
matters  concerning  the  general  welfare  it  was  very  limited. 
The  required  degree  of  deference  towards  them,  however,  was 
willingly  and  cheerfully  yielded ;  and  as  all  authority  is  trans 
mitted  from  father  to  son,  I  have  no  doubt  that  one  of  the  effects 
here,  as  elsewhere,  of  high  birth,  is  to  induce  respect  and 
obedience. 

The  civil  institutions  of  the  Marquesas  Islands  appear  to  be 


238  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.         [CHAP,  xxv 

in  this,  as  in  other  respects,  directly  the  reverse  of  those  of  the 
Tahitian  and  Hawiian  groups,  where  the  original  power  of  the 
king  and  chiefs  was  far  more  despotic  than  that  of  any  tyrant  in 
civilized  countries.  At  Tahiti  it  used  to  be  death  for  one  of  the 
inferior  orders  to  approach,  without  permission,  under  the  shadow 
of  the  king's  house  ;  or  to  fail  in  paying  the  customary  reverence 
when  food  destined  for  the  king  was  borne  past  them  by  his  mes 
sengers.  At  the  Sandwich  Islands,  Kaahumanu,  the  gigantic 
old  dowager  queen — a  woman  of  nearly  four  hundred  pounds 
weight,  and  who  is  said  to  be  still  living  at  Mowee — was  accus 
tomed,  in  some  of  her  terrific  gusts  of  temper,  to  snatch  up  an 
ordinary  sized  man  who  had  offended  her,  and  snap  his  spine 
across  her  knee.  Incredible  as  this  may  seem,  it  is  a  fact. 
While  at  Lahainaluna — the  residence  of  this  monstrous  Jezebel 
— a  humpbacked  wretch  was  pointed  out  to  me,  who,  some  twen 
ty-five  years  previously,  had  had  the  vertebrae  of  his  back-bone 
very  seriously  discomposed  by  his  gentle  mistress. 

The  particular  grades  of  rank  existing  among  the  chiefs  of 
Typee,  I  could  not  in  all  cases  determine.  Previous  to  the  Feast 
of  Calabashes  I  had  been  puzzled  what  particular  station  to  assign 
to  Mehevi.  But  the  important  part  he  took  upon  that  occasion 
convinced  me  that  he  had  no  superior  among  the  inhabitants  of 
the  valley.  I  had  invariably  noticed  a  certain  degree  of  deference 
paid  to  him  by  all  with  whom  I  had  ever  seen  him  brought  in 
contact ;  but  when  I  remembered  that  my  wanderings  had  been 
confined  to  a  limited  portion  of  the  valley,  and  that  towards  the 
sea  a  number  of  distinguished  chiefs  resided,  some  of  whom  had 
separately  visited  me  at  Marheyo's  house,  and  whom,  until  the 
Festival,  I  had  never  seen  in  the  company  of  Mehevi,  I  felt  dis 
posed  to  believe  that  his  rank  after  all  might  not  be  particularly 
elevated. 

The  revels,  however,  had  brought  together  all  the  warriors 
whom  I  had  seen  individually  and  in  groups  at  different  times 


CHAP,  xxv.]  GRADATIONS  IN  RANK.  239 

and  places.  Among  them  Mehevi  moved  with  an  easy  air  of 
superiority  which  was  not  to  be  mistaken ;  and  he  whom  I  had 
only  looked  at  as  the  hospitable  host  of  the  Ti,  and  one  of  the 
military  leaders  of  the  tribe,  now  assumed  in  my  eyes  the  dignity 
of  royal  station.  His  striking  costume,  no  less  than  his  naturally 
commanding  figure,  seemed  indeed  to  give  him  pre-eminence  over 
the  rest.  The  towering  helmet  of  feathers  that  he  wore  raised 
him  in  height  above  all  who  surrounded  him ;  and  though  some 
others  were  similarly  adorned,  the  length  and  luxuriance  of  their 
plumes  were  far  inferior  to  his. 

Mehevi  was  in  fact  the  greatest  of  the  chiefs — the  head  of  his 
clan — the  sovereign  of  the  valley  ;  and  the  simplicity  of  the  social 
institutions  of  the  people  could  not  have  been  more  completely 
proved  than  by  the  fact,  that  after  having  been  several  weeks  in 
the  valley,  and  almost  in  daily  intercourse  with  Mehevi,  I  should 
have  remained  until  the  time  of  the  festival  ignorant  of  his  regal 
character.  But  a  new  light  had  now  broken  in  upon  me.  The 
Ti  was  the  palace — and  Mehevi  the  king.  Both  the  one  and  the 
other  of  a  most  simple  and  patriarchal  nature  it  must  be  allowed, 
and  wholly  unattended  by  the  ceremonious  pomp  which  usually 
surrounds  the  purple. 

After  having  made  this  discovery  I  could  not  avoid  congratu 
lating  myself  that  Mehevi  had  from  the  first  taken  me  as  it  were 
under  his  royal  protection,  and  that  he  still  continued  to  entertain 
for  me  the  warmest  regard,  as  far  at  least  as  I  was  enabled  to 
judge  from  appearances.  For  the  future  I  determined  to  pay 
most  assiduous  court  to  him,  hoping  that  eventually  through  his 
kindness  I  might  obtain  my  liberty. 


240  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  xxvi. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

King  Mehevi — Allusion  to  his  Hawiian  Majesty — Conduct  of  Marheyo  and 
Mehevi  in  certain  delicate  matters — Peculiar  system  of  Marriage — Num 
ber  of  Population — Uniformity — Embalming — Places  of  Sepulture — 
Funeral  obsequies  at  Nukuheva — Number  of  Inhabitants  in  Typee — Lo 
cation  of  the  Dwellings — Happiness  enjoyed  in  the  Valley — A  Warning 
— Some  ideas  with  regard  to  the  Civilisation  of  the  Islands — Reference  to 
the  present  state  of  the  Hawiians — Story  of  a  Missionary's  Wife — Fash- 
»  ionable  Equipages  at  Oahu — Reflections. 

KING  Mehevi ! — A  goodly  sounding  title  ! — and  why  should  I  not 
bestow  it  upon  the  foremost  man  in  the  valley  of  Typee  ?  The 
republican  missionaries  of  Oahu  cause  to  be  gazetted  in  the 
Court  Journal,  published  at  Honolula,  the  most  trivial  move 
ment  of  "  his  gracious  majesty "  King  Kammehammaha  III., 
and  "their  highnesses  the  princes  of  the  blood  royal."* — And 

*  Accounts  like  these  are  sometimes  copied  into  English  and  American 
journals.  They  lead  the  reader  to  infer  that  the  arts  and  customs  of  civi 
lized  life  are  rapidly  refining  the  natives  of  the  Sandwich  Islands.  But  let 
no  one  be  deceived  by  these  accounts.  The  chiefs  swagger  about  «in  gold 
lace  and  broadcloth,  while  the  great  mass  of  the  common  people  are  nearly 
as  primitive  in  their  appearance  as  in  the  days  of  Cook.  In  the  progress 
of  events  at  these  islands,  the  two  classes  are  receding  from  each  other  : 
the  chiefs  are  daily  becoming  more  luxurious  and  extravagant  in  their  style 
of  living,  and  the  common  people  more  and  more  destitute  of  the  necessa 
ries  and  decencies  of  life.  But  the  end  to  which  both  will  arrive  at  last 
will  be  the  same  :  the  one  are  fast  destroying  themselves  by  sensual  indul 
gences,  and  the  other  are  fast  being  destroyed  by  a  complication  of  disor 
ders,  and  the  want  of  wholesome  food.  The  resources  of  the  domineering 
chiefs  are  wrung  from  the  starving  serfs,  and  every  additional  bauble  with 
which  they  bedeck  themselves  is  purchased  by  the  sufferings  of  their  bonds- 


CHAP,  xxvi.]  KING  MEHEVI.  241 

who  is  his  "  gracious  majesty,"  and  what  the  quality  of  this 
"  blood  royal  ?" — His  "  gracious  majesty  "  is  a  fat,  lazy,  negro- 
looking  blockhead,  with  as  little  character  as  power.  He  has 
lost  the  noble  traits  of  the  barbarian,  without  acquiring  the 
redeeming  graces  of  a  civilized  being ;  and,  although  a  member 
of  the  Hawiian  Temperance  Society,  is  a  most  inveterate  dram- 
drinker. 

The  "  blood  royal "  is  an  extremely  thick,  depraved  fluid ; 
formed  principally  of  raw  fish,  bad  brandy,  and  European  sweet 
meats,  and  is  charged  with  a  variety  of  eruptive  humors,  which 
are  developed  in  sundry  blotches  and  pimples  upon  the  august 
face  of  "  majesty  itself,"  and  the  angelic  countenances  of  the 
"  princes  and  princesses  of  the  blood-royal !" 

Now,  if  the  farcical  puppet  of  a  chief  magistrate  in  the  Sand 
wich  Islands  be  allowed  the  title  of  King,  why  should  it  be  with 
held  from  the  noble  savage  Mehevi,  who  is  a  thousand  times 
more  worthy  of  the  appellation  ?  All  hail,  therefore,  Mehevi, 
King  of  the  Cannibal  Valley,  and  long  life  and  prosperity  to  his 
Typeean  majesty  !  May  Heaven  for  many  a  year  preserve  him, 
the  uncompromising  foe  of  Nukuheva  and  the  French,  if  a  hostile 
attitude  will  secure  his  lovely  domain  from  the  remorseless  in 
flictions  of  South  Sea  civilisation. 

Previously  to  seeing  the  Dancing  Widows  I  had  little  idea 
that  there  were  any  matrimonial  relations  subsisting  in  Typee, 
and  I  should  as  soon  have  thought  of  a  Platonic  affection  being 
cultivated  between  the  sexes,  as  of  the  solemn  connexion  of  man 
and  wife.  To  be  sure,  there  were  old  Marheyo  and  Tinor,  who 
seemed  to  have  a  sort  of  nuptial  understanding  with  one  another ; 
but  for  all  that,  I  had  sometimes  observed  a  comical-looking  old 
gentleman  dressed  in  a  suit  of  shabby  tattooing,  who  had  the 

men  ;  so  that  the  measure  of  gew-gaw  refinement  attained  by  the  chiefs  is 
only  an  index  to  the  actual  state  of  degradation  in  which  the  greater  por 
tion  of  the  population  lie  grovelling 


242  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.        [CHAP.  xxvi. 

audacity  to  take  various  liberties  with  the  lady,  and  that  too  in 
the  very  presence  of  the  old  warrior  her  husband,  who  looked  on 
as  good-naturedly  as  if  nothing  was  happening.  This  behavior, 
until  subsequent  discoveries  enlightened  me,  puzzled  me  more 
than  anything  else  I  witnessed  in  Typee. 

As  for  Mehevi,  I  had  supposed  him  a  confirmed  bachelor,  as 
well  as  most  of  the  principal  chiefs.  At  any  rate,  if  they  had 
wives  and  families,  they  ought  to  have  been  ashamed  of  them 
selves  ;  for  sure  I  am,  they  never  troubled  themselves  about  any 
domestic  affairs.  In  truth,  Mehevi  seemed  to  be  the  president 
of  a  club  of  hearty  fellows,  who  kept  "  Bachelor's  Hall "  in  fine 
style  at  the  Ti.  I  had  no  doubt  but  that  they  regarded  children 
as  odious  incumbrances ;  and  their  ideas  of  domestic  felicity  were 
sufficiently  shown  in  the  fact,  that  they  allowed  no  meddlesome 
housekeepers  to  turn  topsy-turvy  those  snug  little  arrangements 
they  had  made  in  their  comfortable  dwelling.  I  strongly  sus 
pected,  however,  that  some  of  these  jolly  bachelors  were  carrying 
on  love  intrigues  with  the  maidens  of  the  tribe ;  although  they 
did  not  appear  publicly  to  acknowledge  them.  I  happened  to 
pop  upon  Mehevi  three  or  four  times  when  he  was  romping — in  a 
most  undignified  manner  for  a  warrior  king — with  one  of  the 
prettiest  little  witches  in  the  valley.  She  lived  with  an  old 
woman  and  a  young  man,  in  a  house  near  Marheyo's ;  and  al 
though  in  appearance  a  mere  child  herself,  had  a  noble  boy  about 
a  year  old,  who  bore  a  marvellous  resemblance  to  Mehevi,  whom 
I  should  certainly  have  believed  to  have  been  the  father,  were  it 
not  that  the  little  fellow  had  no  triangle  on  his  face — but  on 
second  thoughts,  tattooing  is  not  hereditary.  Mehevi,  however, 
was  not  the  only  person  upon  whom  the  damsel  Moonoony  smiled 
— the  young  fellow  of  fifteen,  who  permanently  resided  in  the 
house  with  her,  was  decidedly  in  her  good  graces.  I  sometimes 
beheld  both  him  and  the  chief  making  love  at  the  same  time.  Is 
it  possible,  thought  I,  that  the  valiant  warrior  can  consent  to  give 


CHAP,  xxvi.]  BADGE  OF  WEDLOCK.  243 

up  a  corner  in  the  thing  he  loves  ?  This  too  was  a  mystery 
which,  with  others  of  the  same  kind,  was  afterwards  satisfactorily 
explained. 

During  the  second  day  of  the  Feast  of  Calabashes,  Kory-Kory 
— being  determined  that  I  should  have  some  understanding  on 
these  matters — had,  in  the  course  of  his  explanations,  directed 
my  attention  to  a  peculiarity  I  had  frequently  remarked  among 
many  of  the  females ; — principally  those  of  a  mature  age  and 
rather  matronly  appearance.  This  consisted  in  having  the  right 
hand  and  the  left  foot  most  elaborately  tattooed ;  while  the  rest 
of  the  body  was  wholly  free  from  the  operation  of  the  art,  with 
the  exception  of  the  minutely  dotted  lips  and  slight  marks  on  the 
shoulders,  to  which  I  have  previously  referred  as  comprising  the 
sole  tattooing  exhibited  by  Fayaway,  in  common  with  other  young 
girls  of  her  age.  The  hand  and  foot  thus  embellished  were,  ac 
cording  to  Kory-Kory,  the  distinguishing  badge  of  wedlock,  so  far 
as  that  social  and  highly  commendable  institution  is  known  among 
these  people.  It  answers,  indeed,  the  same  purpose  as  the  plain 
gold  ring  worn  by  our  fairer  spouses. 

After  Kory-Kory's  explanation  of  the  subject,  I  was  for  some 
time  studiously  respectful  in  the  presence  of  all  females  thus  dis 
tinguished,  and  never  ventured  to  indulge  in  the  slightest  approach 
to  flirtation  with  any  of  their  number.  Married  women,  to  be 
sure  ! — I  knew  better  than  to  offend  them. 

A  further  insight,  however,  into  the  peculiar  domestic  customs 
of  the  inmates  of  the  valley  did  away  in  a  measure  with  the 
severity  of  my  scruples,  and  convinced  me  that  I  was  deceived 
in  some  at  least  of  my  conclusions.  A  regular  system  of  poly 
gamy  exists  among  the  islanders ;  but  of  a  most  extraordinary 
nature, — a  plurality  of  husbands,  instead  of  wives ;  and  this  soli 
tary  fact  speaks  volumes  for  the  gentle  disposition  of  the  male 
population.  Where  else,  indeed,  could  such  a  practice  exist,  even 
for  a  single  day? — Imagine  a  revolution  brought  about  in  a 


244  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.        [CHAP.  xxvi. 

Turkish  seraglio,  and  the  harem  rendered  the  abode  of  bearded 
men ;  or  conceive  some  beautiful  woman  in  our  own  country  run 
ning  distracted  at  the  sight  of  her  numerous  lovers  murdering  one 
another  before  her  eyes,  out  of  jealousy  for  the  unequal  distribu 
tion  of  her  favors  ! — Heaven  defend  us  from  such  a  state  of 
things ! — We  are  scarcely  amiable  and  forbearing  enough  to  sub 
mit  to  it. 

I  was  not  able  to  learn  what  particular  ceremony  was  observed 
in  forming  the  marriage  contract,  but  am  inclined  to  think  that 
it  must  have  been  of  a  very  simple  nature.  Perhaps  the  mere 
"  P°PPm§  tne  question,"  as  it  is  termed  with  us,  might  have  been 
followed  by  an  immediate  nuptial  alliance.  At  any  rate,  I  have 
more  than  one  reason  to  believe  that  tedious  courtships  are  un 
known  in  the  valley  of  ^Typee. 

The  males  considerably  outnumber  the  females.  This  holds 
true  of  many  of  the  islands  of  Polynesia,  although  the  reverse  ot 
,what  is  the  case  in  most  civilized  countries.  The  girls  are  first 
wooed  and  won,  at  a  very  tender  age,  by  some  stripling  in  the 
household  in  which  they  reside.  This,  however,  is  a  mere  frolic 
of  the  affections,  and  no  formal  engagement  is  contracted.  By 
the  time  this  first  love  has  a  little  subsided,  a  second  suitor  pre 
sents  himself,  of  graver  years,  and  carries  both  boy  and  girl  away 
to  his  own  habitation.  This  disinterested  and  generous-hearted 
fellow  now  weds  the  young  couple — marrying  damsel  and  lover 
at  the  same  time — and  all  three  thenceforth  live  together  as 
harmoniously  as  so  many  turtles.  I  have  heard  of  some  men 
who  in  civilized  countries  rashly  marry  large  families  with  their 
wives,  but  had  no  idea  that  there  was  any  place  where  people  mar 
ried  supplementary  husbands  with  them.  Infidelity  on  either 
side  is  very  rare.  No  man  has  more  than  one  wife,  and  no  wife 
of  mature  years  has  less  than  two  husbands, — sometimes  she  has 
three,  but  such  instances  are  not  frequent.  The  marriage  tie, 
whatever  it  may  be,  does  not  appear  to  be  indissoluble  j  for  sepa- 


CHAP,  xxvi  ]  SYSTEM  OF  MARRIAGE.  245 


rations  occasionally  happen.  These,  however,  when  they  do 
take  place,  produce  no  unhappiness,  and  are  preceded  by  no 
bickerings ;  for  the  simple  reason,  that  an  ill-used  wife  or  a  hen 
pecked  husband  is  not  obliged  to  file  a  bill  in  Chancery  to  obtain 
a  divorce.  As  nothing  stands  in  the  way  of  a  separation,  the 
matrimonial  yoke  sits  easily  and  lightly,  and  a  Typee  wife  lives 
on  very  pleasant  and  sociable  terms  with  her  husbands.  On  the 
whole,  wedlock,  as  known  among  these  Typees,  seems  to  be  of 
a  more  distinct  and  enduring  nature  than  is  usually  the  case  with 
barbarous  people.  A  baneful  promiscuous  intercourse  of  the  sexes 
is  hereby  avoided,  and  virtue,  without  being  clamorously  invoked, 
is,  as  it  were,  unconsciously  practised. 

The  contrast  exhibited  between  the  Marquesas  and  other 
islands  of  the  Pacific  in  this  respect,  is  worthy  of  being 
noticed.  At  Tahiti  the  marriage  tie  was  altogether  unknown ; 
and  the  relation  of  husband  and  wife,  father  and  son,  could 
hardly  be  said  to  exist.  The  Arreory  Society— one  of  the  most 
singular  institutions  that  ever  existed  in  any  part  of  the  world — 
spread  universal  licentiousness  over  the  island.  It  was  the  volup 
tuous  character  of  these  people  which  rendered  the  disease  intro 
duced  among  them  by  De  Bougainville's  ships,  in  1768,  doubly 
destructive.  It  visited  them  like  a  plague,  sweeping  them  off  by 
hundreds. 

Notwithstanding  the  existence  of  wedlock  among  the  Typees, 
the  Scriptural  injunction  to  increase  and  multiply  seems  to  be 
but  indifferently  attended  to.  I  never  saw  any  of  those  large 
families  in  arithmetical  or  step-ladder  progression  which  one  often 
meets  with  at  home.  I  never  knew  of  more  than  two  youngsters 
living  together  in  the  same  home,  and  but  seldom  even  that  num 
ber.  As  for  the  women,  it  was  very  plain  that  the  anxieties  of 
the  nursery  but  seldom  disturbed  the  serenity  of  their  souls  ;  and 
they  were  never  seen  going  about  the  valley  with  half  a  score  of 


246  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.         [CHAP.  xxvi. 

little  ones  tagging  at  their  apronstrings,  or  rather  at  the  bread 
fruit-leaf  they  usually  wore  in  the  rear. 

The  ratio  of  increase  among  all  the  Polynesian  nations  is 
'very  small ;  and  in  some  places  as  yet  uncorrupted  by  inter- 
course  with  Europeans,  the  births  would  appear  but  very  little 
to  outnumber  the  deaths ;  the  population  in  such  instances  re 
maining  nearly  the  same  for  several  successive  generations,  even 
upon  those  islands  seldom  or  never  desolated  by  wars,  and  among 
people  with  whom  the  crime  of  infanticide  is  altogether  un 
known.  This  would  seem  expressly  ordained  by  Providence  to 
prevent  the  overstocking  of  the  islands  with  a  race  too  indolent 
to  cultivate  the  ground,  and  who,  for  that  reason  alone,  would, 
by  any  considerable  increase  in  their  numbers,  be  exposed  to  the 
most  deplorable  misery.  During  the  entire  period  of  my  stay  in 
the  valley  of  Typee,  I  never  saw  more  than  ten  or  twelve  chil 
dren  under  the  age  of  six  months,  and  only  became  aware  of  two 
births. 

It  is  to  the  looseness  of  the  marriage  tie  that  the  late  rapid 
decrease  of  the  population  of  the  Sandwich  Islands  and  of  Tahiti 
is  in  part  to  be  ascribed.  The  vices  and  diseases  introduced 
among  these  unhappy  people  annually  swell  the  ordinary  mortality 
of  the  islands,  while,  from  the  same  cause,  the  originally  small 
number  of  births  is  proportionally  decreased.  Thus  the  progress 
of  the  Hawiians  and  Tahitians  to  utter  extinction  is  accelerated 
in  a  sort  of  compound  ratio. 

I  have  before  had  occasion  to  remark  that  I  never  saw  any  of 
the  ordinary  signs  of  a  place  of  sepulture  in  the  valley,  a  cir 
cumstance  which  I  attributed,  at  the  time,  to  my  living  in  a  par 
ticular  part  of  it,  and  being  forbidden  to  extend  my  ramble  to  any 
considerable  distance  towards  the  sea.  I  have  since  thought  it 
probable,  however,  that  the  Typees,  either  desirous  of  removing 
from  their  sight  the  evidences  of  mortality,  or  prompted  by  a  taste 
for  rural  beauty,  may  have  some  charming  cemetery  situated  in 


CHAP,  xxvi.]  FUNERAL  FEAST.  247 

the  shadowy  recesses  along  the  base  of  the  mountains.  At 
Nukuheva,  two  or  three  large  quadrangular  "  pi-pis,"  heavily 
flagged,  enclosed  with  regular  stone  walls,  and  shaded  over  and 
almost  hidden  from  view  by  the  interlacing  branches  of  enormous 
trees,  were  pointed  out  to  me  as  burial-places.  The  bodies,  I 
understood,  were  deposited  in  rude  vaults  beneath  the  flagging, 
and  were  suffered  to  remain  there  without  being  disinterred. 
Although  nothing  could  be  more  strange  and  gloomy  than  the 
aspect  of  these  places,  where  the  lofty  trees  threw  their  dark 
shadows  over  rude  blocks  of  stone,  a  stranger  looking  at  them 
would  have  discerned  none  of  the  ordinary  evidences  of  a  place 
of  sepulture. 

During  my  stay  in  the  valley,  as  none  of  its  inmates  were  so 
accommodating  as  to  die  and  be  buried  in  order  to  gratify  my 
curiosity  with  regard  to  their  funeral  rites,  I  was  reluctantly 
obliged  to  remain  in  ignorance  of  them.  As  I  have  reason  to 
believe,  however,  that  the  observances  of  the  Typees  in  these 
matters  are  the  same  with  those  of  all  the  other  tribes  on  the 
island,  I  will  here  relate  a  scene  I  chanced  to  witness  at 
Nukuheva. 

A  young  man  had  died,  about  daybreak,  in  a  house  near  the 
beach.  I  had  been  sent  ashore  that  morning,  and  saw  a  good 
deal  of  the  preparations  they  were  making  for  his  obsequies. 
The  body,  neatly  wrapped  in  new  white  tappa,  was  laid  out  in 
an  open  shed  of  cocoa-nut  boughs,  upon  a  bier  constructed  of 
elastic  bamboos  ingeniously  twisted  together.  This  was  sup 
ported,  about  two  feet  from  the  ground,  by  large  canes  planted 
uprightly  in  the  earth.  Two  females,  of  a  dejected  appearance, 
watched  by  its  side,  plaintively  chanting  and  beating  the  air  with 
large  grass  fans  whitened  with  pipe-clay.  In  the  dwelling-house 
adjoining  a  numerous  company  were  assembled,  and  various  articles 
of  food  were  being  prepared  for  consumption.  Two  or  three  in 
dividuals,  distinguished  by  head-dresses  of  beautiful  tappa,  and 
12* 


248  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.        [CHAP,  xxvi 

wearing  a  great  number  of  ornaments,  appeared  to  officiate  as 
masters  of  the  ceremonies.  By  noon  the  entertainment  had  fairly 
begun,  and  we  were  told  that  it  would  last  during  the  whole  of 
the  two  following  days.  With  the  exception  of  those  who  mourned 
by  the  corpse,  every  one  seemed  disposed  to  drown  the  sense  of 
the  late  bereavement  in  convivial  indulgence.  The  girls,  decked 
out  in  their  savage  finery,  danced ;  the  old  men  chanted ;  the 
warriors  smoked  and  chatted ;  and  the  young  and  lusty,  of  both 
sexes,  feasted  plentifully,  and  seemed  to  enjoy  themselves  as  pleas- 
antly  as  they  could  have  done  had  it  been  a  wedding. 

The  islanders  understand  the  art  of  embalming,  and  practise 
it  with  such  success,  that  the  bodies  of  their  great  chiefs  are  fre 
quently  preserved  for  many  years  in  the  very  houses  where  they 
died.  I  saw  three  of  these  in  my  visit  to  the  Bay  of  Tior.  One 
was  enveloped  in  immense  folds  of  tappa,  with  only  the  face  expos 
ed,  and  hung  erect  against  the  side  of  the  dwelling.  The  others 
were  stretched  out  upon  biers  of  bamboo,  in  open,  elevated  temples, 
which  seemed  consecrated  to  their  memory.  The  heads  of  enemies 
killed  in  battle  are  invariably  preserved  and  hung  up  as  trophies 
in  the  house  of  the  conqueror.  I  am  not  acquainted  with  the 
process  which  is  in  use,  but  believe  that  fumigation  is  the  principal 
agency  employed.  All  the  remains  which  I  saw  presented  the 
appearance  of  a  ham  after  being  suspended  for  some  time  in  a 
smoky  chimney. 

But  to  return  from  the  dead  to  the  living.  The  late  festival 
had  drawn  together,  as  I  had  every  reason  to  believe,  the  whole 
population  of  the  vale,  and  consequently  I  was  enabled  to  make 
some  estimate  with  regard  to  ijts  numbers.  I  should  imagine 
that  there  were  about  two  thousand  inhabitants  in  Typee  ;  and 
no  number  could  have  been  better  adapted  to  the  extent  of  the 
valley.  The  valley  is  some  nine  miles  in  length,  and  may  average 
one  in  breadth ;  the  houses  being  distributed  at  wide  intervals 
throughout  its  whole  extent,  principally,  however,  towards  the 


CHAP,  xxvi.]  IMPENDING  CHANGES.  249 

head  of  the  vale.  There  are  no  villages :  the  houses  stand  here 
and  there  in  the  shadow  of  the  groves,  or  are  scattered  along 
the  banks  of  the  winding  stream  ;  their  golden-hued  bamboo 
sides  and  gleaming  white  thatch  forming  a  beautiful  contrast  to 
the  perpetual  verdure  in  which  they  are  embowered.  There 
are  no  roads  of  any  kind  in  the  valley.  Nothing  but  a  laby 
rinth  of  foot-paths  twisting  and  turning- among  the  thickets  with 
out  end. 

The  penalty  of  the  Fall  presses  very  lightly  upon  the  valley  of 
Typee  ;  for,  with  the  one  solitary  exception  of  striking  a  light,  I 
scarcely  saw  any  piece  of  work  performed  there  which  caused  the 
sweat  to  stand  upon  a  single  brow.  As  for  digging  and  delving  for  a 
livelihood,  the  thing  is  altogether  unknown.  Nature  has  planted 
the  bread-fruit  and  the  banana,  and  in  her  own  good  time  she  brings 
them  to  maturity,  when  the  idle  savage -stretches  forth  his  hand, 
and  satisfies  his  appetite. 

Ill-fated  people !  I  shudder  when  I  think  of  the  change  a  few 
years  will  produce  in  their  paradisaical  abode  ;  and  probably  when 
the  most  destructive  vices,  and  the  worst  attendances  on  civilisa 
tion,  shall  have  driven  all  peace  and  happiness  from  the  valley, 
the  magnanimous  French  will  proclaim  to  the  world  that  the 
Marquesas  Islands  have  been  converted  to  Christianity  !  and  this 
the  Catholic  world  will  doubtless  consider  as  a  glorious  event. 
Heaven  help  the  "Isles  of  the  Sea!" — The  sympathy  which 
Christendom  feels  for  them,  has,  alas !  in  too  many  instances  proved 
their  bane. 

How  little  do  some  of  these  poor  islanders  comprehend  when 
they  look  around  them,  that  no  inconsiderable  part  of  their  dis 
asters  originates  in  certain  tea-party  excitements,  under  the  influ 
ence  of  which  benevolent-looking  gentlemen  in  white  cravats 
solicit  alms,  and  old  ladies  in  spectacles,  and  young  ladies  in 
sober  russet  gowns,  contribute  sixpences  towards  the  creation  of  a 
fund,  the  object  of  which  is  to  ameliorate  the  spiritual  condition 


250  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  xxvi. 

of  the  Polynesians,  but  whose  end  has  almost  invariably  been  to 
accomplish  their  temporal  destruction ! 

Let  the  savages  be  civilized,  but  civilize  them  with  benefits, 
and  not  with  evils  ;  and  let  heathenism  be  destroyed,  but  not  by 
destroying  the  heathen.  The  Anglo-Saxon  hive  have  extirpated 
Paganism  from  the  greater  part  of  the  North  American  continent; 
but  with  it  they  have  likewise  extirpated  the  greater  portion  of  the 
Red  race.  Civilisation  is  gradually  sweeping  from  the  earth  the 
lingering  vestiges  of  Paganism,  and  at  the  same  time  the  shrinking 
forms  of  its  unhappy  worshippers. 

Among  the  islands  of  Polynesia,  no  sooner  are  the  images 
overturned,  the  temples  demolished,  and  the  idolaters  converted 
into  nominal  Christians,  than  disease,  vice,  and  premature  death 
make  their  appearance.  The  depopulated  land  is  then  recruited 
from  the  rapacious  hordes  of  enlightened  individuals  who  settle 
themselves  within  its  borders,  and  clamorously  announce  the 
progress  of  the  Truth.  Neat  villas,  trim  gardens,  shaven  lawns, 
spires,  and  cupolas  arise,  while  the  poor  savage  soon  finds  himself 
an  interloper  in  the  country  of  his  fathers,  and  that  too  on  the 
very  site  of  the  hut  where  he  was  born.  The  spontaneous  fruits 
of  the  earth,  which  God  in  his  wisdom  had  ordained  for  the  support 
of  the  indolent  natives,  remorselessly  seized  upon  and  appropriated 
by  the  stranger,  are  devoured  before  the  eyes  of  the  starving  in 
habitants,  or  sent  on  board  the  numerous  vessels  which  now  touch 
at  their  shores. 

When  the  famished  wretches  are  cut  off  in  this  manner  from 
their  natural  supplies,  they  are  told  by  their  benefactors  to  work 
and  earn  their  support  by  the  sweat  of  their  brows  !  But  to  no 
fine  gentleman  born  to  hereditary  opulence  does  this  manual  labor 
come  more  unkindly  than  to  the  luxurious  Indian  when  thus  robbed 
of  the  bounty  of  heaven.  Habituated  to  a  life  of  indolence,  he 
cannot  and  will  not  exert  himself;  and  want,  disease,  and  vice,  all 
evils  of  foreign  growth,  soon  terminate  his  miserable  existence. 


CHAP,  xxvi.]  MISSIONARY  INFLUENCES.  251 

But  what  matters  all  this  ?  Behold  the  glorious  result ! — The 
abominations  of  Paganism  have  given  way  to  the  pure  rites  of 
the  Christian  worship, — the  ignorant  savage  has  been  supplanted 
by  the  refined  European  !  Look  at  Honolulu,  the  metropolis  of 
the  Sandwich  Islands ! — A  community  of  disinterested  merchants, 
and  devoted  self-exiled  heralds  of  the  Cross,  located  on  the  very 
spot  that  twenty  years  ago  was  defiled  by  the  presence  of  idolatry. 
What  a  subject  for  an  eloquent  Bible-meeting  orator  !  Nor  has 
such  an  opportunity  for  a  display  of  missionary  rhetoric  been 
allowed  to  pass  by  unimproved ! — But  when  these  philanthropists 
send  us  such  glowing  accounts  of  one  half  of  their  labors,  why 
does  their  modesty  restrain  them  from  publishing  the  other  half 
of  the  good  they  have  wrought  ? — Not  until  I  visited  Honolulu 
was  I  aware  of  the  fact  that  the  small  remnant  of  the  natives  had 
been  civilized  into  draught-horses,  and  evangelized  into  beasts  of 
burden.  But  so  it  is.  They  have  been  literally  broken  into  the 
traces,  and  are  harnessed  to  the  vehicles  of  their  spiritual  in 
structors  like  so  many  dumb  brutes  ! 

Among  a  multitude  of  similar  exhibitions  that  I  saw,  I  shall 
never  forget  a  robust,  red-faced,  and  very  lady-like  personage,  a 
missionary's  spouse,  who  day  after  day  for  months  together  took 
her  regular  airings  in  a  little  go-cart  drawn  by  two  of  the 
islanders,  one  an  old  grey-headed  man,  and  the  other  a  rogueish 
stripling,  both  being,  with  the  exception  of  the  fig-leaf,  as  naked 
as  when  they  were  born.  Over  a  level  piece  of  ground  this  pair 
of  draught  bipeds  would  go  with  a  shambling,  unsightly  trot,  the 
youngster  hanging  back  all  the  time  like  a  knowing  horse,  while 
the  old  hack  plodded  on  and  did  all  the  work. 

Rattling  along  through  the  streets  of  the  town  in  this  stylish 
equipage,  the  lady  looks  about  her  as  magnificently  as  any  queen 
driven  in  state  to  her  coronation.  A  sudden  elevation,  and  a 
sandy  road,  however,  soon  disturb  her  serenity.  The  small 
wheels  become  embedded  in  the  loose  soil, — the  old  stager  stands 


252  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  xxvi. 


tugging  and  sweating,  while  the  young  one  frisks  about  and  does 
nothing ;  not  an  inch  does  the  chariot  budge.  Will  the  tender 
hearted  lady,  who  has  left  friends  and  home  for  the  good  of  the 
souls  of  the  poor  heathen,  will  she  think  a  little  about  their 
bodies  and  get  out,  and  ease  the  wretched  old  man  until  the 
ascent  is  mounted  ?  Not  she  ;  she  could  not  dream  of  it.  To 
be  sure,  she  used  to  think  nothing  of  driving  the  cows  to  pasture 
on  the  old  farm  in  New  England ;  but  times  have  changed  since 
then.  So  she  retains  her  seat  and  bawls  out,  "  Hookee  !  hookee  !" 
(pull,  pull.)  The  old  gentleman,  frightened  at  the  sound,  labors 
away  harder  than  ever ;  and  the  younger  one  makes  a  great  show 
of  straining  himself,  but  takes  care  to  keep  one  eye  on  his  mis 
tress,  in  order  to  know  when  to  dodge  out  of  harm's  way.  At 
last  the  good  lady  loses  all  patience  ;  "  Hookee  !  hookee  !"  and 
rap  goes  the  heavy  handle  of  her  huge  fan  over  the  naked  skull 
of  the  old  savage ;  while  the  young  one  shies  to  one  side  and 
keeps  beyond  its  range.  "  Hookee  !  hookee  !"  again  she  cries — 
"  Hookee  tata  kannaka !"  (pull  strong,  men,) — but  all  in  vain, 
and  she  is  obliged  in  the  end  to  dismount,  and,  sad  necessity, 
actually  to  walk  to  the  top  of  the  hill. 

At  the  town  where  this  paragon  of  humility  resides,  is  a 
spacious  and  elejfcnt  American  chapel,  where  divine  service  is 
regularly  performed.  Twice  every  Sabbath  towards  the  close  of 
the  exercises  may  be  seen  a  score  or  two  of  little  wagons  ranged 
along  the  railing  in  front  of  the  edifice,  with  two  squalid  native 
footmen  in  the  livery  of  nakedness  standing  by  each,  and  waiting 
for  the  dismissal  of  the  congregation  to  draw  their  superiors 
home. 

Lest  the  slightest  misconception  should  arise  from  anything 
thrown  out  in  this  chapter,  or  indeed  in  any  other  part  of  the 
volume,  let  me  here  observe,  that  against  the  cause  of  missions  in 
the  abstract  no  Christian  can  possibly  be  opposed  :  it  is  in  truth  a 
just  and  holy  cause.  But  if  the  great  end  proposed  by  it  be 


CHAP,  xxvi.]  THE  HAWIIAN  MISSION.  253 

spiritual,  the  agency  employed  to  accomplish  that  end  is  purely 
earthly ;  and,  although  the  object  in  view  be  the  achievement  of 
much  good,  that  agency  may  nevertheless  be  productive  of  evil. 
In  short,  missionary  undertaking,  however  it  may  be  blessed  of 
Heaven,  is  in  itself  but  human  •  and  subject,  like  everything  else, 
to  errors  and  abuses.  And  have  not  errors  and  abuses  crept  into 
the  most  sacred  places,  and  may  there  not  be  unworthy  or  incapable 
missionaries  abroad,  as  well  as  ecclesiastics  of  a  similar  character 
at  home  ?  May  not  the  unworthiness  or  incapacity  of  those  who 
assume  apostolic  functions  upon  the  remote  islands  of  the  sea  more 
easily  escape  detection  by  the  world  at  large  than  if  it  were  dis 
played  in  the  heart  of  a  city?  An  unwarranted  confidence  in  the 
sanctity  of  its  apostles — a  proneness  to  regard  them  as  incapable 
of  guile — and  an  impatience  of  the  least  suspicion  as  to  their 
rectitude  as  men  or  Christians,  have  ever  been  prevailing  faults 
in  the  Church.  Nor  is  this  to  be  wondered  at :  for  subject  as 
Christianity  is  to  the  assaults  of  unprincipled  foes,  we  are  naturally 
disposed  to  regard  everything  like  an  exposure  of  ecclesiastical 
misconduct  as  the  offspring  of  malevolence  or  irreligious  feeling. 
Not  even  this  last  consideration,  however,  shall  deter  me  from  the 
honest  expression  of  my  sentiments. 

There  is  something  apparently  wrong  in  the  prlctical  operations 
of  the  Sandwich  Islands  Mission.  Those  who  from  pure  religious 
motives  contribute  to  the  support  of  this  enterprise,  should  take 
care  to  ascertain  that  their  donations,  flowing  through  many  devious 
channels,  at  last  effect  their  legitimate  object,  the  conversion  of 
the  Hawiians.  I  urge  this,  not  because  I  doubt  the  moral  probity 
of  those  who  disburse  these  funds,  but  because  I  know  that  they 
are  not  rightly  applied.  To  read  pathetic  accounts  of  missionary 
hardships,  and  glowing  descriptions  of  conversions,  and  baptisms 
taking  place  beneath  palm-trees,  is  one  thing  ;  and  to  go  to  the 
Sandwich  Islands  and  see  the  missionaries  dwelling  in  picturesque 
and  prettily-furnished  coral-rock  villas,  whilst  the  miserable 


254  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.        [CHAP.  xxvi. 

natives  are  committing  all  sorts  of  immorality  around  them,  is 
quite  another. 

In  justice  to  the  missionaries,  however,  I  will  willingly  admit, 
that  whatever  evils  may  have  resulted  from  their  collective  mis 
management  of  the  business  of  the  mission,  and  from  the  want  of 
vital  piety  evinced  by  some  of  their  number,  still  the  present  de 
plorable  condition  of  the  Sandwich  Islands  is  by  no  means  wholly 
chargeable  against  them.  The  demoralizing  influence  of  a  disso 
lute  foreign  population,  and  the  frequent  visits  of  all  descriptions 
of  vessels,  have  tended  not  a  little  to  increase  the  evils  alluded  to. 
In  a  word,  here,  as  in  every  case  where  civilisation  has  in  any  way 
been  introduced  among  those  whom  we  call  savages,  she  has 
scattered  her  vices,  and  withheld  her  blessings. 

As  wise  a  man  as  Shakspeare  has  said,  that  the  bearer  of  evil 
tidings  hath  but  a  losing  office  ;  and  so  I  suppose  will  it  prove 
with  me,  in  communicating  to  the  trusting  friends  of  the  Hawiian 
Mission  what  has  been  disclosed  in  various  portions  of  this  narra 
tive.  I  am  persuaded,  however,  that  as  these  disclosures  will  by 
their  very  nature  attract  attention,  so  they  will  lead  to  something 
which  will  not  be  without  ultimate  benefit  to  the  cause  of  Christi 
anity  in  the  Sandwich  Islands. 

I  have  but  one  thing  more  to  add  in  connection  with  this  sub 
ject — those  things  which  I  have  stated  as  facts  will  remain  facts, 
in  spite  of  whatever  the  bigoted  or  incredulous  may  say  or  write 
against  them.  My  reflections,  however,  on  those  facts  may  not 
be  free  from  error.  If  such  be  the  case,  I  claim  no  further  indul 
gence  than  should  be  conceded  to  every  man  whose  object  is  to 
do  good. 


CHAP,  xxvii.]  SOCIAL  CONDITION.  255 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

The  Social  Condition  and  general  Character  of  the  Typees. 

I  HAVE  already  mentioned  that  the  influence  exerted  over  the 
people  of  the  valley  by  their  chiefs  was  mild  in  the  extreme ;  and 
as  to  any  general  rule  or  standard  of  conduct  by  which  the  com- 
monalty  were  governed  in  their  intercourse  with  each  other,  so 
far  as  my  observation  extended,  I  should  be  almost  tempted  to  say, 
that  none  existed  on  the  island,  except,  indeed,  the  mysterious 
"  Taboo"  be  considered  as  such.  During  the  time  I  lived  among 
the  Typees,  no  one  was  ever  put  upon  his  trial  for  any  offence 
against  the  public.  To  all  appearance  there  were  no  courts  of 
law  or  equity.  There  was  no  municipal  police  for  the  purpose 
of  apprehending  vagrants  and  disorderly  characters.  In  short, 
there  were  no  legal  provisions  whatever  for  the  well-being  and 
conservation  of  society,  the  enlightened  end  of  civilized  legislation. 
And  yet  everything  went  on  in  the  valley  with  a  harmony  and 
smoothness  unparalleled,  I  will  venture  to  assert,  in  the  most 
select,  refined,  and  pious  associations  of  mortals  in  Christendom. 
How  are  we  to  explain  this  enigma?  These  islanders  were 
heathens  !  savages !  ay,  cannibals !  and  how  came  they,  without 
the  aid  of  established  law,  to  exhibit,  in  so  eminent  a  degree,  that 
social  order  which  is  the  greatest  blessing  and  highest  pride  of 
the  social  state  ? 

It  may  reasonably  be  inqdired,  how  were  these  people  governed  ? 
how  were  their  passions  controlled  in  their  everyday  transactions  ? 
It  must  have  been  by  an  inherent  principle  of  honesty  and  charity 
towards  each  other.  They  seemed  to  be  governed  by  that  sort  of 


256  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  XXVIL 

tacit  common-sense  law  which,  say  what  they  will  of  the  inborn 
lawlessness  of  the  human  race,  has  its  precepts  graven  on  every 
breast.  The  grand  principles  of  virtue  and  honor,  however  they 
may  be  distorted  by  arbitrary  codes,  are  the  same  all  the  world 
over:  and  where  these  principles  are  concerned,  the  right  or 
wrong  of  any  action  appears  the  same  to  the  uncultivated  as  to  the 
enlightened  mind.  It  is  to  this  indwelling,  this  universally  dif 
fused  perception  of  what  is  just  and  noble,  that  the  integrity  of  the 
Marquesans  in  their  intercourse  with  each  other,  is  to  be  attri 
buted.  In  the  darkest  nights  they  slept  securely,  with  all  their 
worldly  wealth  around  them,  in  houses  the  doors  of  which  were 
never  fastened.  The  disquieting  ideas  of  theft  or  assassination 
never  disturbed  them.  Each  islander  reposed  beneath  his  own 
palmetto  thatching,  or  sat  under  his  own  bread-fruit  tree,  with 
none  to  molest  or  alarm  him.  There  was  not  a  padlock  in  the 
valley,  nor  anything  that  answered  the  purpose  of  one:  still  there 
was  no  community  of  goods.  This  long  spear,  so  elegantly 
carved  and  highly  polished,  belongs  to  Wormoonoo :  it  is  far 
handsomer  than  the  one  which  old  Marheyo  so  greatly  prizes ;  it 
is  the  most  valuable  article  belonging  to  its  owner.  And  yet  I 
have  seen  it  leaning  against  a  cocoa-nut  tree  in  the  grove,  and 
there  it  was  found  when  sought  for.  Here  is  a  sperm-whale 
tooth,  graven  all  over  with  cunning  devices  :  it  is  the  property  of 
Karluna :  it  is  the  most  precious  of  the  damsel's  ornaments.  In 
her  estimation  its  price  is  far  above  rubies — and  yet  there  hangs 
the  dental  jewel  by  its  cord  of  braided  bark,  in  the  girl's  house, 
which  is  far  back  in  the  valley  ;  the  door  is  left  open,  and  all  the 
inmates  have  gone  off  to  bathe  in  the  stream.* 

*  The  strict  honesty  which  the  inhabitants  of  nearly  all  the  Polynesian 
Islands  manifest  towards  each  other,  is  in  striking  contrast  with  the  thiev 
ing  propensities  some  of  them  evince  in  their  intercourse  with  foreigners. 
It  would  almost  seem  that,  according  to  their  peculiar  code  of  morals,  the 
pilfering  of  a  hatchet  or  a  wrought  nail  from  a  European,  is  looked  upon  as 
a  praiseworthy  action.  Or  rather,  it  may  be  presumed,  that  bearing  in 


CHAP,  xxvii.]  LANDS  JOINT  PROPERTY.  257 

So  much  for  the  respect  in  which  "  personal  property"  is  held 
in  Typee  j  how  secure  an  investment  of  "  real  property"  may  be, 
I  cannot  take  upon  me  to  say.  Whether  the  land  of  the  valley 
was  the  joint  property  of  its  inhabitants,  or  whether  it  was  par 
celled  out  among  a  certain  number  of  landed  proprietors  who 
allowed  everybody  to  "  squat "  and  "  poach  "  as  much  as  he  or 
she  pleased,  I  never  could  ascertain.  At  any  rate,  musty  parch 
ments  and  title-deeds  there  were  none  on  the  island ;  and  I  am 
half  inclined  to  believe  that  its  inhabitants  hold  their  broad  valleys 
in  fee  simple  from  nature  herself;  to  have  and  to  hold,  so  long  as 
grass  grows  and  water  runs  ;  or  until  their  French  visitors,  by  a 
summary  mode  of  conveyance,  shall  appropriate  them  to  their  own 
benefit  and  behoof. 

Yesterday  I  saw  Kory-Kory  hie  him  away,  armed  with  a  long 
pole,  with  which,  standing  on  the  ground,  he  knocked  down  the 
fruit  from  the  topmost  boughs  of  the  trees,  and  brought  them  home 
in  his  basket  of  cocoa-nut  leaves.  To-day  I  see  an  islander, 
whom  I  know  to  reside  in  a  distant  part  of  the  valley,  doing  the 
self-same  thing.  On  the  sloping  bank  of  the  stream  are  a  number 
of  banana-trees.  I  have  often  seen  a  score  or  two  of  young  people 
making  a  merry  foray  on  the  great  golden  clusters,  and  bearing 
them  off,  one  after  another,  to  different  parts  of  the  vale,  shouting 
and  tramping  as  they  went.  No  churlish  old  curmudgeon  could 
have  been  the  owner  of  that  grove  of  bread-fruit  trees,  or  of  these 
gloriously  yellow  bunches  of  bananas. 

From  what  I  have  said  it  will  be  perceived  that  there  is  a  vast 
difference  between  "  personal  property  "  and  "  real  estate  "  in  the 
valley  of  Typee.  Some  individuals,  of  course,  are  more  wealthy 

mind  the  wholesale  forays  made  upon  them  by  their  nautical  visitors,  they 
consider  the  property  of  the  latter  as  a  fair  object  of  reprisal.  This  con 
sideration,  while  it  serves  to  reconcile  an  apparent  contradiction  in  the 
moral  character  of  the  islanders,  should  in  some  measure  alter  that  low 
opinion  of  it  which  the  reader  of  South  Sea  voyages  is  too  apt  to  form. 


258  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.        [CHAP.  xxvu. 

than  others.  For  example  :  the  ridge-pole  of  Marheyo's  house 
bends  under  the  weight  of  many  a  huge  packet  of  tappa ;  his 
long  couch  is  laid  with  mats  placed  one  upon  the  other  seven 
deep.  Outside,  Tinor  has  ranged  along  in  her  bamboo  cupboard 
— or  whatever  the  place  may  be  called — a  goodly  array  of  cala 
bashes  and  wooden  trenchers.  Now,  the  house  just  beyond  the 
grove,  and  next  to  Marheyo's,  occupied  by  Ruaruga,  is  not  quite 
so  well  furnished.  There  are  only  three  moderate-sized  pack 
ages  swinging  overhead :  there  are  only  two  layers  of  mats  be 
neath  ;  and  the  calabashes  and  trenchers  are  not  so  numerous,  nor 
so  tastefully  stained  and  carved.  But  then,  Ruaruga  has  a  house 
— not  so  pretty  a  one,  to  be  sure — but  just  as  commodious  as  Mar 
heyo's  ;  and,  I  suppose,  if  he  wished  to  vie  with  his  neighbor's 
establishment,  he  could  do  so  with  very  little  trouble,  These,  in 
short,  constituted  the  chief  differences  perceivable  in  the  relative 
wealth  of  the  people  in  Typee. 

Civilisation  does  not  engross  all  the  virtues  of  humanity :  she 
has  not  even  her  full  share  of  them.  They  flourish  in  greater 
abundance  and  attain  greater  strength  among  many  barbarous 
people.  The  hospitality  of  the  wild  Arab,  the  courage  of  the 
North  American  Indian,  and  the  faithful  friendships  of  some  of 
the  Polynesian  nations,  far  surpass  anything  of  a  similar  kind 
among  the  polished  communities  of  Europe.  If  truth  and  justice, 
and  the  better  principles  of  our  nature,  cannot  exist  unless  en 
forced  by  the  statute-book,  how  are  we  to  account  for  the  social 
condition  of  the  Typees  ?  So  pure  and  upright  were  they  in  all 
the  relations  of  life,  that  entering  their  valley,  as  I  did,  under  the 
most  erroneous  impressions  of  their  character,  I  was  soon  led  to 
exclaim  in  amazement :  "  Are  these  the  ferocious  savages,  the 
blood-thirsty  cannibals  of  whom  I  have  heard  such  frightful  tales ! 
They  deal  more  kindly  with  each  other,  and  are  more  humane 
than  many  who  study  essays  on  virtue  and  benevolence,  and  who 
repeat  every  night  that  beautiful  prayer  breathed  first  by  the  lips 


. 

CHAP,  xxvii.]  SPIRIT  OF  UNANIMITY.  259 

of  the  divine  and  gentle  Jesus."  I  will  frankly  declare,  that 
after  passing  a  few  weeks  in  this  valley  of  the  Marquesas,  I 
formed  a  higher  estimate  of  human  nature  than  I  had  ever  before 
entertained.  But  alas  !  since  then  I  have  been  one  of  the  crew 
of  a  man-of-war,  and  the  pent-up  wickedness  of  five  hundred  men 
has  nearly  overturned  all  my  previous  theories. 

There  was  one  admirable  trait  in  the  general  character  of  the 
Typees  which,  more  than  anything  else,  secured  my  admiration : 
it  was  the  unanimity  of  feeling  they  displayed  on  every  occasion. 
With  them  there  hardly  appeared  to  be  any  difference  of  opinion 
upon  any  subject  whatever.  They  all  thought  and  acted  alike. 
I  do  not  conceive  that  they  could  support  a  debating  society  for 
a  single  night :  there  would  be  nothing  to  dispute  about ;  and 
were  they  to  call  a  convention  to  take  into  consideration  the  state 
of  the  tribe,  its  session  would  be  a  remarkably  short  one.  They 
showed  this  spirit  of  unanimity  in  every  action  of  life ;  every, 
thing  was  done  in  concert  and  good  fellowship.  I  will  give  an 
instance  of  this  fraternal  feeling. 

One  day,  in  returning  with  Kory-Kory  from  my  accustomed 
visit  to  the  Ti,  we  passed  by  a  little  opening  in  the  grove  ;  on 
one  side  of  which,  my  attendant  informed  me,  was  that  afternoon 
to  be  built  a  dwelling  of  bamboo.  At  least  a  hundred  of  the 
natives  were  bringing  materials  to  the  ground,  some  carrying  in 
their  hands  one  or  two  of  the  canes  which  were  to  form  the  sides, 
others  slender  rods  of  the  habiscus,  strung  with  palmetto  leaves, 
for  the  roof.  Every  one  contributed  something  to  the  work ;  and 
by  the  united,  but  easy,  and  even  indolent,  labors  of  all,  the  entire 
work  was  completed  before  sunset.  The  islanders,  while  em 
ployed  in  erecting  this  tenement,  reminded  me  of  a  colony  of 
beavers  at  work.  To  be  sure,  they  were  hardly  as  silent  and 
demure  as  those  wonderful  creatures,  nor  were  they  by  any 
means  as  diligent.  To  tell  the  truth,  they  were  somewhat  in- 
clined  to  be  lazy,  but  a  perfect  tumult  of  hilarity  prevailed  ;  and 


260  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.      [CHAP.  XXVIL 

they  worked  together  so  unitedly,  and  seemed  actuated  by  such 
an  instinct  of  friendliness,  that  it  was  truly  beautiful  to  behold. 

Not  a  single  female  took  part  in  this  employment :  and  if  the 
degree  of  consideration  in  which  the  ever- adorable  sex  is  held  by 
the  men  be — as  the  philosophers  affirm — a  just  criterion  of  the 
degree  of  refinement  among  a  people,  then  I  may  truly  pronounce 
the  Typees  to  be  as  polished  a  community  as  ever  the  sun  shone 
upon.  The  religious  restrictions  of  the  taboo  alone  excepted, 
the  women  of  the  valley  were  allowed  every  possible  indulgence. 
Nowhere  are  the  ladies  more  assiduously  courted  ;  nowhere  are 
they  better  appreciated  as  the  contributors  to  our  highest  enjoy 
ments  ;  and  nowhere  are  they  more  sensible  of  their  power.  Far 
different  from  their  condition  among  many  rude  nations,  where 
the  women  are  made  to  perform  all  the  work  while  their  ungal- 
lant  lords  and  masters  lie  buried  in  sloth,  the  gentle  sex  in  the 
valley  of  Typee  were  exempt  from  toil,  if  toil  it  might  be  called 
that,  even  in  the  tropical  climate,  never  distilled  one  drop  of  per 
spiration.  Their  light  household  occupations,  together  with  the 
manufacture  of  tappa,  the  platting  of  mats,  and  the  polishing  of 
drinking-vessels,  were  the  only  employments  pertaining  to  the 
women.  And  even  these  resembled  those  pleasant  avocations 
which  fill  up  the  elegant  morning  leisure  of  our  fashionable 
ladies  at  home.  But  in  these  occupations,  slight  and  agreeable 
though  they  were,  the  giddy  young  girls  very  seldom  engaged. 
Indeed  these  wilful,  care-killing  damsels  were  averse  to  all  use 
ful  employment.  Like  so  many  spoiled  beauties,  they  ranged 
through  the  groves — bathed  in  the  stream — danced — flirted — 
played  all  manner  of  mischievous  pranks,  and  passed  their  days 
in  one  merry  round  of  thoughtless  happiness. 

During  my  whole  stay  on  the  island  I  never  witnessed  a  single 
quarrel,  nor  anything  that  in  the  slightest  degree  approached 
even  to  a  dispute.  The  natives  appeared  to  form  one  household, 
whose  members  were  bound  together  by  the  ties  of  strong  affec- 


f 


CHAP,  xxvii.]  JEALOUSY  OF  EUROPEANS.  261 

tion.  The  love  of  kindred  I  did  not  so  much  perceive,  for  it 
seemed  blended  in  the  general  love ;  and  where  all  were  treated 
as  brothers  and  sisters,  it  was  hard  to  tell  who  were  actually 
related  to  each  other  by  blood. 

Let  it  not  be  supposed  that  I  have  overdrawn  this  picture.  I 
have  not  done  so.  Nor  let  it  be  urged,  that  the  hostility  of  this 
tribe  to  foreigners,  and  the  hereditary  feuds  they  carry  on  against 
their  fellow-islanders  beyond  the  mountains,  are  facts  which  con 
tradict  me.  Not  so  ;  these  apparent  discrepancies  are  easily 
reconciled.  By  many  a  legendary  tale  of  violence  and  wrong, 
as  well  as  by  events  which  have  passed  before  their  eyes,  these 
people  have  been  taught  to  look  upon  white  men  with  abhorrence. 
The  cruel  invasion  of  their  country  by  Porter  has  alone  furnished 
them  with  ample  provocation ;  and  I  can  sympathize  in  the  spirit 
which  prompts  the  Typee  warrior  to  guard  all  the  passes  to  his 
valley  with  the  point  of  his  levelled  spear,  and,  standing  upon  the 
beach,  with  his  back  turned  upon  his  green  home,  to  hold  at  bay 
the  intruding  European. 

As  to  the  origin  of  the  enmity  of  this  particular  clan  towards 
the  neighboring  tribes,  I  cannot  so  confidently  speak.  I  will  not 
say  that  their  foes  are  the  aggressors,  nor  will  I  endeavor  to  pal 
liate  their  conduct.  But  surely,  if  our  evil  passions  must  find 
vent,  it  is  far  better  to  expend  them  on  strangers  and  aliens,  than 
in  the  bosom  of  the  community  in  which  we  dwell.  In  many 
polished  countries  civil  contentions,  as  well  as  domestic  enmities, 
are  prevalent,  at  the  same  time  that  the  most  atrocious  foreign 
wars  are  waged.  How  much  less  guilty,  then,  are  our  islanders, 
who  of  these  three  sins  are  only  chargeable  with  one,  and  that 
the  least  criminal ! 

The  reader  will  erelong  have  reason  to  suspect  that  the  Typees 
are  not  free  from  the  guilt  of<*cannibalism  ;  and  he  will  then, 
perhaps,  charge  me  with  admiring  a  people  against  whom  so  odi 
ous  a  crime  is  chargeable.  But  this  only  enormity  in  their  cha- 


262  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.     [CHAP.  xxvu. 

racter  is  not  half  so  horrible  as  it  is  usually  described.  Accord 
ing  to  the  popular  fictions,  the  crews  of  vessels,  shipwrecked  on 
some  barbarous  coast,  are  eaten  alive  like  so  many  dainty  joints 
by  the  uncivil  inhabitants;  and  unfortunate  voyagers ' are  lured 
into  smiling  and  treacherous  bays  ;  knocked  on  the  head  with 
outlandish  war-clubs  ;  and  served  up  without  any  preliminary 
dressing.  In  truth,  so  horrific  and  improbable  are  these  accounts, 
that  many  sensible  and  well-informed  people  will  not  believe  that 
any  cannibals  exist ;  and  place  every  book  of  voyages  which 
purports  to  give  any  account  of  them,  on  the  same  shelf  with 
Blue  Beard  and  Jack  the  Giant-Killer.  While  others,  implicitly 
crediting  the  most  extravagant  fictions,  firmly  believe  that  there 
are  people  in  the  world  with  tastes  so  depraved  that  they  would 
infinitely  prefer  a  single  mouthful  of  material  humanity  to  a  good 
dinner  of  roast  beef  and  plum  pudding.  But  here,  Truth,  who 
loves  to  be  centrally  located,  is  again  found  between  the  two  ex 
tremes  ;  for  cannibalism  to  a  certain  moderate  extent  is  practised 
among  several  of  the  primitive  tribes  in  the  Pacific,  but  it  is  upon 
the  bodies  of  slain  enemies  alone  ;  and  horrible  and  fearful  as 
the  custom  is,  immeasurably  as  it  is  to  be  abhorred  and  con 
demned,  still  I  assert  that  those  who  indulge  in  it  are  in  other 
respects  humane  and  virtuous. 


CHAP,  xxvin.]  FISHING  PARTIES.  263 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Fishing  Parties — Mode  of   distributing  the  Fish — Midnight   Banquet — 
Timekeeping  Tapers — Unceremonious  style  of  eating  the  Fish. 

THERE  was  no  instance  in  which  the  social  and  kindly  dispo 
sitions  of  the  Typees  were  more  forcibly  evinced  than  in  the 
manner  they  conducted  their  great  fishing  parties.  Four  times 
during  my  stay  in  the  valley  the  young  men  assembled  near  the 
full  of  the  moon,  and  went  together  on  these  excursions.  As 
they  were  generally  absent  about  forty-eight  hours,  I  was  led  to 
believe  that  they  went  out  towards  the  open  sea,  some  distance 
from  the  bay.  The  Polynesians  seldom  use  a  hook  and  line, 
almost  always  employing  large  well-made  nets,  most  ingeniously 
fabricated  from  the  twisted  fibres  of  a  certain  bark.  I  examined 
several  of  them  which  had  been  spread  to  dry  upon  the  beach  at 
Nukuheva.  They  resemble  very  much  our  own  seines,  and  I 
should  think  they  were  very  nearly  as  durable. 

All  the  South  Sea  Islanders  are  passionately  fond  of  fish  ;  but 
none  of  them  can  be  more  so  than  the  inhabitants  of  Typee.  I 
could  not  comprehend,  therefore,  why  they  so  seldom  sought  it 
in  their  waters,  for  it  was  only  at  stated  times  that  the  fishing 
parties  were  formed,  and  these  occasions  were  always  looked 
forward  to  with  no  small  degree  of  interest. 

During  their  absence  the  whole  population  of  the  place  were 
in  a  ferment,  and  nothing  was  talked  of  but  "pehee,  pehee  " 
(fish,  fish).  Towards  the  time  when  they  were  expected  to  re 
turn  the  vocal  telegraph  was  put  into  operation — the  inhabitants, 
who  were  scattered  throughout  the  length  of  the  valley,  leaped 

13 


264  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.      [CHAP.  xxvm. 

upon  rocks  and  into  trees,  shouting  with  delight  at  the  thoughts  of 
the  anticipated  treat.  As  soon  as  the  approach  of  the  party  was 
announced,  there  was  a  general  rush  of  the  men  towards  the 
beach  ;  some  of  them  remaining,  however,  about  the  Ti,  in  order 
to  get  matters  in  readiness  for  the  reception  of  the  fish,  which 
were  brought  to  the  Taboo  groves  in  immense  packages  of 
leaves,  -each  one  of  them  being  suspended  from  a  pole  carried  on 
the  shoulders  of  two  men. 

I  was  present  at  the  Ti  on  one  of  these  occasions,  and  the 
sight  was  most  interesting.  After  all  the  packages  had  arrived, 
they  were  laid  in  a  row  under  the  verandah  of  the  building, 
and  opened.  The  fish  were  all  quite  small,  generally  about 
the  size  of  a  herring,  and  of  every  variety  of  color.  About 
one-eighth  of  the  whole  being  reserved  for  the  use  of  the  Ti 
itself,  the  remainder  was  divided  into  numerous  smaller  pack 
ages,  which  were  immediately  dispatched  in  every  direction  to 
the  remotest  parts  of  the  valley.  Arrived  at  their  destination, 
these  were  in  turn  portioned  out,  and  equally  distributed  among 
the  various  houses  of  each  particular  district.  The  fish  were 
under  a  strict  Taboo,  until  the  distribution  was  completed,  which 
seemed  to  be  effected  in  the  most  impartial  manner.  By  the 
operation  of  this  system  every  man,  woman,  and  child  in  the 
vale,  were  at  one  and  the  same  time  partaking  of  this  favorite 
article  of  food. 

Once  I  remember  the  party  arrived  at  midnight;  but  the 
unseasonableness  of  the  hour  did  not  repress  the  impatience 
of  the  islanders.  The  carriers  dispatched  from  the  Ti  were 
to  be  seen  hurrying  in  all  directions  through  the  deep  groves ; 
each  individual  preceded  by  a  boy  bearing  a  flaming  torch 
of  dried  cocoa-nut  boughs,  which  from  time  to  time  was  re- 
plenished  from  the  materials  scattered  along  the  path.  The 
wild  glare  of  these  enormous  flambeaux,  lighting  up  with  a 
startling  brilliancy  the  innermost  recesses  of  the  vale,  and  seen 


CHAP,  xxvin.]  MIDNIGHT  BANQUET.  265 

moving  rapidly  along  beneath  the  canopy  of  leaves,  the  savage 
shout  of  the  excited  messengers  sounding  the  news  of  their  ap 
proach,  which  was  answered  on  all  sides,  and  the  strange  ap 
pearance  of  their  naked  bodies,  seen  against  the  gloomy  back 
ground,  produced  altogether  an  effect  upon  my  mind  that  I  shall 
long  remember. 

It  was  on  this  same  occasion  that  Kory-Kory  awakened 
me  at  the  dead  hour  of  night,  and  in  a  sort  of  transport  com 
municated  the  intelligence  contained  in  the  words  "  pehee  perni  " 
(fish  come).  As  I  happened  to  have  been  in  a  remarkably 
sound  and  refreshing  slumber,  I  could  not  imagine  why  the 
information  had  not  been  deferred  until  morning ;  indeed,  I  felt 
very  much  inclined  to  fly  into  a  passion  and  box  my  valet's  ears ; 
but  on  second  thoughts  I  got  quietly  up,  and  on  going  outside  the 
house  was  not  a  little  interested  by  the  moving  illumination  whichi 
I  beheld. 

When  old  Marheyo  received  his  share  of  the  spoils,  immediate 
preparations  were  made  for  a  midnight  banquet ;  calabashes  of 
poee-poee  were  filled  to  the  brim  ;  green  bread-fruit  were  roasted ; 
and  a  huge  cake  of  "  amar  "  was  cut  up  with  a  sliver  of  bamboo 
and  laid  out  on  an  immense  banana-leaf. 

At  this  supper  we  were  lighted  by  several  of  the  native  tapers, 
held  in  the  hands  of  young  girls.  These  tapers  are  most  inge 
niously  made.  There  is  a  nut  abounding  in  the  valley,  called 
by  the  Typees  "  armor,"  closely  resembling  our  common  horse- 
chestnut.  The  shell  is  broken,  and  the  contents  extracted 
whole.  Any  number  of  these  are  strung  at  pleasure  upon  the 
long  elastic  fibre  that  traverses  the  branches  of  the  cocoa-nut 
tree.  Some  of  these  tapers  are  eight  or  ten  feet  in  length  ;  but 
being  perfectly  flexible,  one  end  is  held  in  a  coil,  while  the  other 
is  lighted.  The  nut  burns  with  a  fitful  bluish  flame,  and  the  oil 
that  it  contains  is  exhausted  in  about  ten  minutes.  As  one  burns 
down,  the  next  becomes  ignited,  and  the  ashes  of  the  former  are 


266  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.     [CHAP,  xxvni. 

knocked  into  a  cocoa-nut  shell  kept  for  the  purpose.  This 
primitive  candle  requires  continual  attention,  and  must  be  con 
stantly  held  in  the  hand.  The  person  so  employed  marks  the 
lapse  of  time  by  the  number  of  nuts  consumed,  which  is  easily 
learned  by  counting  the  bits  of  tappa  distributed  at  regular  inter 
vals  along  the  string. 

I  grieve  to  state  so  distressing  a  fact,  but  the  inhabitants  of 
Typee  were  in  the  habit  of  devouring  fish  much  in  the  same  way 
that  a  civilized  being  would  eat  a  radish,  and  without  any  more 
previous  preparation.  They  eat  it  raw  ;  scales,  bones,  gills,  and 
all  the  inside.  The  fish  is  held  by  the  tail,  and  the  head  being 
introduced  into  the  mouth,  the  animal  disappears  with  a  rapidity 
that  would  at  first  nearly  lead  one  to  imagine  it  had  been  launched 
bodily  down  the  throat. 

Raw  fish  !  Shall  I  ever  forget  my  sensations  when  I  first  saw 
my  island  beauty  devour  one.  Oh,  heavens  !  Fayaway,  how 
could  you  ever  have  contracted  so  vile  a  habit  ?  However,  after 
the  first  shock  had  subsided,  the  custom  grew  less  odious  in  my 
eyes,  and  I  soon  accustomed  myself  to  the  sight.  Let  no  one 
imagine,  however,  that  the  lovely  Fayaway  was  in  the  habit  of 
swallowing  great  vulgar-looking  fishes :  oh,  no ;  with  her  beau 
tiful  small  hand  she  would  clasp  a  delicate,  little,  golden-hued 
love  of  a  fish,  and  eat  it  as  elegantly  and  as  innocently  as  though 
it  were  a  Naples  biscuit.  But  alas !  it  was  after  all  a  raw  fish  ; 
and  all  I  can  say  is,  that  Fayaway  ate  it  in  a  more  ladylike  man 
ner  than  any  other  girl  of  the  valley. 

When  at  Rome  do  as  the  Romans  do,  I  held  to  be  so  good  a 
proverb,  that  being  in  Typee  I  made  a  point  of  doing  as  the 
Typees  did.  Thus  I  ate  poee-poee  as  they  did  ;  I  walked  about 
in  a  garb  striking  for  its  simplicity  ;  and  I  reposed  on  a  commu 
nity  of  couches  ;  besides  doing  many  other  things  in  conformity 
with  their  peculiar  habits  ;  but  the  farthest  I  ever  went  in  the  way 
of  conformity,  was  on  several  occasions  to  regale  myself  with 


CHAP,  xxvm.]  EATS  RAW  FISH.  267 

raw  fish.  These  being  remarkably  tender,  and  quite  small,  the 
undertaking  was  not  so  disagreeable  in  the  main,  and  after  a  few 
trials  I  positively  began  to  relish  them  :  however,  I  subjected 
them  to  a  slight  operation  with  my  knife  previously  to  making 
my  repast. 


268  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.        [CHAP.  xxix. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Natural  History  of  the  Valley — Golden  Lizards — Tameness  of  the  Birds — 
Mosquitos— Flies— Dogs— A  solitary  Cat— The  Climate— The  Cocoa-nut 
Tree — Singular  modes  of  climbing  it — An  agile  young  Chief — Fearless 
ness  of  the  Children — Too-Too  and  the  Cocoa-nut  Tree — The  Birds  of  the 
Valley. 

I  THINK  I  must  enlighten  the  reader  a  little  about  the  natural  his 
tory  of  the  valley. 

Whence,  in  the  name  of  Count  Buffon  and  Baron  Cuvier,  came 
those  dogs  that  I  saw  in  Typee  ?  Dogs  ! — Big  hairless  rats  rather  ; 
all  with  smooth,  shining,  speckled  hides — fat  sides,  and  very  disa 
greeable  faces.  Whence  could  they  have  come  ?  That  they 
were  not  the  indigenous  production  of  the  region,  I  am  firmly  con 
vinced.  Indeed  they  seemed  aware  of  their  being  interlopers, 
looking  fairly  ashamed,  and  always  trying  to  hide  themselves  in 
some  dark  corner.  It  was  plain  enough  they  did  not  feel  at  home 
in  the  vale — that  they  wished  themselves  well  out  of  it,  and  back 
to  the  ugly  country  from  which  they  must  have  come. 

Scurvy  curs !  they  were  my  abhorrence  ;  I  should  have  liked 
nothing  better  than  to  have  been  the  death  of  every  one  of  them. 
In  fact,  on  one  occasion,  I  intimated  the  propriety  of  a  canine 
crusade  to  Mehevi ;  but  the  benevolent  king  would  not  consent 
to  it.  He  heard  me  very  patiently  ;  but  when  I  had  finished, 
shook  his  head,  and  told  me  in  confidence,  that  they  were 
« taboo." 

As  for  the  animal  that  made  the  fortune  of  the  ex-lord-mayor 
Whittington,  I  shall  never  fcfrget  the  day  that  I  was  lying  in  the 


CHAP,  xxix.]  GOLDEN  LIZARDS.  269 

house  about  noon,  everybody  else  being  fast  asleep ;  and  happen 
ing  to  raise  my  eyes,  met  those  of  a  big  black  spectral  cat,  which 
sat  erect  in  the  doorway,  looking  at  me  with  its  frightful  goggling 
green  orbs,  like  one  of  those  monstrous  imps  that  torment  some  of 
Teniers'  saints  !  I  am  one  of  those  unfortunate  persons,  to  whom 
the  sight  of  these  animals  is  at  any  time  an  insufferable  annoyance. 

Thus  constitutionally  averse  to  cats  in  general,  the  unexpected 
apparition  of  this  one  in  particular  utterly  confounded  me.  When 
I  had  a  little  recovered  from  the  fascination  of  its  glance,  I  started 
up  ;  the  cat  fled,  and  emboldened  by  this,  I  rushed  out  of  the  house 
in  pursuit ;  but  it  had  disappeared.  It  was  the  only  time  I  ever 
saw  one  in  the  valley,  and  how  it  got  there  I  cannot  imagine.  It 
is  just  possible  that  it  might  have  escaped  from  one  of  the  ships 
at  Nukuheva.  It  was  in  vain  to  seek  information  on  the  subject 
from  the  natives,  since  none  of  them  had  seen  the  animal,  the 
appearance  of  which  remains  a  mystery  to  me  to  this  day. 

Among  the  few  animals  which  are  to  be  met  with  in  Typee, 
there  was  none  which  I  looked  upon  with  more  interest  than  a 
beautiful  golden-hued  species  of  lizard.  It  measured  perhaps  five 
inches  from  head  to  tail,  and  was  most  gracefully  proportioned. 
Numbers  of  those  creatures  were  to  be  seen  basking  in  the  sun 
shine  upon  the  thatching  of  the  houses,  and  multitudes  at  all  hours 
of  the  day  showed  their  glittering  sides  as  they  ran  frolicking 
between  the  spears  of  grass,  or  raced  in  troops  up  and  down  the  tall 
shafts  of  the  cocoa-nut  trees.  But  the  remarkable  beauty  of  these 
little  animals  and  their  lively  ways  were  not  their  only  claims 
upon  my  admiration.  They  were  perfectly  tame  and  insensible 
to  fear.  Frequently,  after  seating  myself  upon  the  ground  in  some 
shady  place  during  the  heat  of  the  day,  I  would  be  completely 
overrun  with  them.  If  I  brushed  one  off  my  arm,  it  would  leap 
perhaps  into  my  hair  :  when  I  tried  to  frighten  it  away  by  gently 
pinching  its  leg,  it  would  turn  for  protection  to  the  very  hand 
that  attacked  it. 


270  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  xxix. 

The  birds  are  also  remarkably  tame.  If  you  happened  to  see 
one  perched  upon  a  branch  within  reach  of  your  arm,  and  ad 
vanced  towards  it,  it  did  not  fly  away  immediately,  but  waited 
quietly  looking  at  you,  until  you  could  almost  touch  it,  and  then 
took  wing  slowly,  less  alarmed  at  your  presence,  it  would  seem, 
than  desirous  of  removing  itself  from  your  path.  Had  salt  been 
less  scarce  in  the  valley  than  it  was,  this  was  the  very  place  to 
have  gone  birding  with  it. 

I  remember  that  once,  on  an  uninhabited  island  of  the  Galli- 
pagos,  a  bird  alighted  on  my  outstretched  arm,  while  its  mate 
chirped  from  an  adjoining  tree.  Its  tameness,  far  from  shocking 
me,  as  a  similar  occurrence  did  Selkirk,  imparted  to  me  the  most 
exquisite  thrill  of  delight  I  ever  experienced ;  and  with  some 
what  of  the  same  pleasure  did  I  afterwards  behold  the  birds  and 
lizards  of  the  valley  show  their  confidence  in  the  kindliness  of 
man. 

Among  the  numerous  afflictions  which  the  Europeans  have 
entailed  upon  some  of  the  natives  of  the  South  Seas,  is  the  acci 
dental  introduction  among  them  of  that  enemy  of  all  repose  and 
ruffler  of  even  tempers — the  Mosquito.  At  the  Sandwich  Islands 
and  at  two  or  three  of  the  Society  group,  there  are  now  thriving 
colonies  of  these  insects,  who  promise  ere  long  to  supplant  alto 
gether  the  aboriginal  sand-flies.  They  sting,  buzz,  and  torment, 
from  one  end  of  the  year  to  the  other,  and  by  incessantly  exas 
perating  the  natives  materially  obstruct  the  benevolent  labors  of 
the  missionaries. 

From  this  grievous  visitation,  however,  the  Typees  are  as  yet 
wholly  exempt ;  but  its  place  is  unfortunately  in  some  degree 
supplied  by  the  occasional  presence  of  a  minute  species  of  fly, 
which,  without  stinging,  is  nevertheless  productive  of  no  little 
annoyance.  The  tameness  of  the  birds  and  lizards  is  as  nothing 
when  compared  to  the  fearless  confidence  of  this  insect.  He  will 
perch  upon  one  of  your  eye-lashes,  and  go  to  roost  there,  if  you 


CHAP,  xxix.]  CLIMATE.  271 

do  not  disturb  him,  or  force  his  way  through  your  hair,  or  along 
the  cavity  of  the  nostril,  till  you  almost  fancy  he  is  resolved  to 
explore  the  very  brain  itself.  On  one  occasion  I  was  so  incon 
siderate  as  to  yawn  while  a  number  of  them  were  hovering  around 
me.  I  never  repeated  the  act.  Some  half-dozen  darted  into  the 
open  apartment,  and  began  walking  about  its  ceiling  ;  the  sensa 
tion  was  dreadful.  I  involuntarily  closed  my  mouth,  and  the 
poor  creatures  being  enveloped  in  inner  darkness,  must  in  their 
consternation  have  stumbled  over  my  palate,  and  been  precipitated 
into  the  gulf  beneath.  At  any  rate,  though  I  afterwards  chari 
tably  held  my  mouth  open  for  at  least  five  minutes,  with  a  view 
of  affording  egress  to  the  stragglers,  none  of  them  ever  availed 
themselves  of  the  opportunity. 

There  are  no  wild  animals  of  any  kind  on  the  island,  unless  it 
be  decided  that  the  natives  themselves  are  such.  The  mountains 
and  the  interior  present  to  the  eye  nothing  but  silent  solitudes, 
unbroken  by  the  roar  of  beasts  of  prey,  and  enlivened  by  few 
tokens  even  of  minute  animated  existence.  There  are  no  venom 
ous  reptiles,  and  no  snakes  of  any  description  to  be  found  in  any 
of  the  valleys. 

In  a  company  of  Marquesan  natives  the  weather  affords  no 
topic  of  conversation.  It  can  hardly  be  said  to  have  any  vicissi 
tudes.  The  rainy  season,  it  is  true,  brings  frequent  showers,  but 
they  are  intermitting  and  refreshing.  When  an  islander  bound 
on  some  expedition  rises  from  his  couch  in  the  morning,  he  is 
never  solicitous  to  peep  out  and  see  how  the  sky  looks,  or  ascer 
tain  from  what  quarter  the  wind  blows.  He  is  always  sure  of  a 
"  fine  day,"  and  the  promise  of  a  few  genial  showers  he  hails 
with  pleasure.  There  is  never  any  of  that  "  remarkable  weather" 
on  the  islands  which  from  time  immemorial  has  been  experienced 
in  America,  and  still  continues  to  call  forth  the  wondering  conver 
sational  exclamations  of  its  elderly  citizens.  Nor  do  there  even 
occur  any  of  those  eccentric  meteorological  changes  which  else- 

13* 


272  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  xxix. 

where  surprise  us.  In  the  valley  of  Typee  ice-creams  would 
never  be  rendered  less  acceptable  by  sudden  frosts,  nor  would 
pic-nic  parties  be  deferred  on  account  of  inauspicious  snow 
storms  :  for  there  day  follows  day  in  one  unvarying  round  of  sum 
mer  and  sunshine,  and  the  whole  year  is  one  long  tropical  month 
of  June  just  melting  into  July. 

It  is  this  genial  climate  which  causes  the  cocoa-nuts  to  flourish 
as  they  do.  This  invaluable  fruit,  brought  to  perfection  by  the 
rich  soil  of  the  Marquesas,  and  borne  aloft  on  a  stately  column 
more  than  a  hundred  feet  from  the  ground,  would  seem  at  first 
almost  inaccessible  to  the  simple  natives.  Indeed  the  slender, 
smooth,  and  soaring  shaft,  without  a  single  limb  or  protuberance 
of  any  kind  to  assist  one  in  mounting  it,  presents  an  obstacle  only 
to  be  overcome  by  the  surprising  agility  and  ingenuity  of  the 
islanders.  It  might  be  supposed  that  their  indolence  would  lead 
them  patiently  to  await  the  period  when  the  ripened  nuts,  slowly 
parting  from  their  stems,  fall  one  by  one  to  the  ground.  This 
certainly  would  be  the  case,  were  it  not  that  the  young  fruit, 
encased  in  a  soft  green  husk,  with  the  incipient  meat  adhering  in 
a  jelly-like  pellicle  to  its  sides,  and  containing  a  bumper  of  the 
most  delicious  nectar,  is  what  they  chiefly  prize.  They  have  at 
least  twenty  different  terms  to  express  as  many  progressive  stages 
in  the  growth  of  the  nut.  Many  of  them  reject  the  fruit  alto 
gether  except  at  a  particular  period  of  its  growth,  which,  incredi 
ble  as  it  may  appear,  they  seemed  to  me  to  be  able  to  ascertain 
within  an  hour  or  two.  Others  are  still  more  capricious  in  their 
tastes ;  and  after  gathering  together  a  heap  of  the  nuts  of  all  ages, 
and  ingeniously  tapping  them,  will  first  sip  from  one  and  then 
from  another,  as  fastidiously  as  some  delicate  wine-bibber  experi 
menting  glass  in  hand  among  his  dusty  demijohns  of  different 
vintages. 

Some  of  the  young  men,  with  more  flexible  frames  than  their 
comrades,  and  perhaps  with  more  courageous  souls,  had  a  way  of 


CHAP,  xxix.]          CLIMBING  A  COCOA-NUT  TREE.  273 

walking  up  the  trunk  of  the  cocoa-nut  trees  which  to  me  seemed 
little  less  than  miraculous  ;  and  when  looking  at  them  in  the  act, 
I  experienced  that  curious  perplexity  a  child  feels  when  he  beholds 
a  fly  moving  feet  uppermost  along  a  ceiling. 

I  will  endeavor  to  describe  the  way  in  which  Narnee,  a  noble 
young  chief,  sometimes  performed  this  feat  for  my  particular 
gratification  ;  but  his  preliminary  performances  must  also  be 
recorded.  Upon  my  signifying  my  desire  that  he  should  pluck 
me  the  young  fruit  of  some  particular  tree,  the  handsome  savage, 
throwing  himself  into  a  sudden  attitude  of  surprise,  feigns  astonish 
ment  at  the  apparent  absurdity  of  the  request.  Maintaining  this 
position  for  a  moment,  the  strange  emotions  depicted  on  his  coun 
tenance  soften  down  into  one  of  humorous  resignation  to  my  will, 
and  then  looking  wistfully  up  to  the  tufted  top  of  the  tree,  he 
stands  on  tip-toe,  straining  his  neck  and  elevating  his  arm,  as 
though  endeavoring  to  reach  the  fruit  from  the  ground  where  he 
stands.  As  if  defeated  in  this  childish  attempt,  he  now  sinks  to 
the  earth  despondingly,  beating  his  breast  in  well-acted  despair ; 
and  then,  starting  to  his  feet  all  at  once,  and  throwing  back  his 
head,  raises  both  hands,  like  a  school-boy  about  to  catch  a  falling 
ball.  After  continuing  this  for  a  moment  or  two,  as  if  in  expecta 
tion  that  the  fruit  was  going  to  be  tossed  down  to  him  by  some 
good  spirit  in  the  tree-top,  he  turns  wildly  round  in  another  fit  of 
despair,  and  scampers  off  to  the  distance  of  thirty  or  forty  yards. 
Here  he  remains  awhile,  eyeing  the  tree,  the  very  picture  of 
misery ;  but  the  next  moment,  receiving,  as  it  were,  a  flash  of 
inspiration,  he  rushes  again  towards  it,  and  clasping  both  arms 
about  the  trunk,  with  one  elevated  a  little  above  the  other,  he 
presses  the  soles  of  his  feet  close  together  against  the  tree, 
extending  his  legs  from  it  until  they  are  nearly  horizontal,  and 
his  body  becomes  doubled  into  an  arch  ;  then,  hand  over  hand 
and  foot  after  foot,  he  rises  from  the  earth  with  steady  rapidity, 
and  almost  before  you  are  aware  of  it,  has  gained  the  cradled  and 


274  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.        [CHAP.  xxix. 

embowered  nest  of  nuts,  and  with  boisterous  glee  flings  the  fruit 
to  the  ground. 

This  mode  of  walking  the  tree  is  only  practicable  where  the 
trunk  declines  considerably  from  the  perpendicular.  This,  how 
ever,  is  almost  always  the  case  ;  some  of  the  perfectly  straight 
shafts  of  the  trees  leaning  at  an  angle  of  thirty  degrees. 

The  less  active  among  the  men,  and  many  of  the  children  of 
the  valley,  have  another  method  of  climbing.  They  take  a  broad 
and  stout  piece  of  bark,  and  secure  either  end  of  it  to  their 
ankles :  so  that  when  the  feet  thus  confined  are  extended  apart,  a 
space  of  little  more  than  twelve  inches  is  left  between  them. 
This  contrivance  greatly  facilitates  the  act  of  climbing.  The 
band  pressed  against  the  tree,  and  closely  embracing  it,  yields  a 
pretty  firm  support  ;  while  with  the  arms  clasped  about  the 
trunk,  and  at  regular  intervals  sustaining  the  body,  the  feet  are 
drawn  up  nearly  a  yard  at  a  time,  and  a  corresponding  elevation 
of  the  hands  immediately  succeeds.  In  this  way  I  have  seen 
little  children,  scarcely  five  years  of  age,  fearlessly  climbing  the 
slender  pole  of  a  young  cocoa-nut  tree,  and  while  hanging  perhaps 
fifty  feet  from  the  ground,  receiving  the  plaudits  of  their  parents 
beneath,  who  clapped  their  hands,  and  encouraged  them  to  mount 
still  higher. 

What,  thought  I,  on  first  witnessing  one  of  these  exhibitions, 
would  the  nervous  mothers  of  America  and  England  say  to  a 
similar  display  of  hardihood  in  any  of  their  children  ?  The 
Lacedemonian  nation  might  have  approved  of  it,  but  most  modern 
dames  would  have  gone  into  hysterics  at  the  sight. 

At  the  top  of  the  cocoa-nut  tree  the  numerous  branches,  radiating 
on  all  sides  from  a  common  centre,  form  a  sort  of  green  and  waving 
basket,  between  the  leaflets  of  which  you  just  discern  the  nuts 
thickly  clustering  together,  and  on  the  loftier  trees  looking  no 
bigger  from  the  ground  than  bunches  of  grapes,  I  remember  one 
adventurous  little  fellow — Too-Too  was  the  rascal's  name— who 


CHAP,  xxix.]  BIRDS.  275 

had  built  himself  a  sort  of  aerial  baby-house  in  the  picturesque 
tuft  of  a  tree  adjoining  Marheyo's  habitation.  He  used  to  spend 
hours  there, — rustling  among  the  branches,  and  shouting  with 
delight  every  time  the  strong  gusts  of  wind  rushing  down  from 
the  mountain  side,  swayed  to  and  fro  the  tall  and  flexible  column 
on  which  he  was  perched.  Whenever  I  heard  Too-Too's  musical 
voice  sounding  strangely  to  the  ear  from  so  great  a  height,  and 
beheld  him  peeping  down  upon  me  from  out  his  leafy  covert,  he 
always  recalled  to  my  mind  Dibdin's  lines — 

"  There's  a  sweet  little  cherub  that  sits  up  aloft, 
To  look  out  for  the  life  of  poor  Jack." 

Birds — bright  and  beautiful  birds — fly  over  the  valley  of  Typee. 
You  see  them  perched  aloft  among  the  immovable  boughs  of  the 
majestic  bread-fruit  trees,  or  gently  swaying  on  the  elastic 
branches  of  the  Omoo  ;  skimming  over  the  palmetto  thatching  of 
the  bamboo  huts ;  passing  like  spirits  on  the  wing  through  the 
shadows  of  the  grove,  and  sometimes  descending  into  the  bosom 
of  the  valley  in  gleaming  flights  from  the  mountains.  Their 
plumage  is  purple  and  azure,  crimson  and  white,  black  and  gold ; 
with  bills  of  every  tint ; — bright  bloody-red,  jet  black,  and  ivory 
white  ;  and  their  eyes  are  bright  and  sparkling ;  they  go  sail 
ing  through  the  air  in  starry  throngs ;  but,  alas !  the  spell  of 
dumbness  is  upon  them  all — there  is  not  a  single  warbler  in  the 
valley  ! 

I  know  not  why  it  was,  but  the  sight  of  these  birds,  generally 
the  ministers  of  gladness,  always  oppressed  me  with  melancholy. 
As  in  their  dumb  beauty  they  hovered  by  me  whilst  I  was  walk 
ing,  or  looked  down  upon  me  with  steady  curious  eyes  from  out 
the  foliage,  I  was  almost  inclined  to  fancy  that  they  knew  they 
were  gazing  upon  a  stranger,  and  that  they  commiserated  his 
fate. 


276  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.         [CHAI^XXX. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

A  Professor  of  the  Fine  Arts — His  Persecutions — Something  about  Tattoo 
ing  and  Tabooing — Two  Anecdotes  in  illustration  of  the  latter — A  few 
thoughts  on  the  Typee  Dialect. 

IN  one  of  my  strolls  with  Kory-Kory,  in  passing  along  the  border 
of  a  thick  growth  of  bushes,  my  attention  was  arrested  by  a 
singular  noise.  On  entering  the  thicket  I  witnessed  for  the  first 
time  the  operation  of  tattooing  as  performed  by  these  islanders. 

I  beheld  a  man  extended  flat  upon  his  back  on  the  ground,  and, 
despite  the  forced  composure  of  his  countenance,  it  was  evident 
that  he  was  suffering  agony.  His  tormentor  bent  over  him,  work 
ing  away  for  all  the  world  like  a  stone-cutter  with  mallet  and 
chisel.  In  one  hand  he  held  a  short  slender  stick,  pointed  with  a 
shark's  tooth,  on  the  upright  end  of  which  he  tapped  with  a  small 
hammer-like  piece  of  wood,  thus  puncturing  the  skin,  and  charg 
ing  it  with  the  coloring  matter  in  which  the  instrument  was 
dipped.  A  cocoa-nut  shell  containing  this  fluid  was  placed  upon 
the  ground.  It  is  prepared  by  mixing  with  a  vegetable  juice  the 
ashes  of  the  "  armor,"  or  candle-nut,  always  preserved  for  the 
purpose.  Beside  the  savage,  and  spread  out  upon  a  piece  of 
soiled  tappa,  were  a  great  number  of  curious  black-looking  little 
implements  of  bone  and  wood,  used  in  the  various  divisions  of  his 
art.  A  few  terminated  in  a  single  fine  point,  and,  like  very 
delicate  pencils,  were  employed  in  giving  the  finishing  touches, 
or  in  operating  upon  the  more  sensitive  portions  of  the  body,  as 
was  the  case  in  the  present  instance.  Others  presented  several 
points  distributed  in  a  line,  somewhat  resembling  the  teeth  of  a 
saw.  These  were  employed  in  the  coarser  parts  of  the  work,  and 


CHAP,  xxx.]  PROFESSOR  OF  TATTOOING.  277 

particularly  in  pricking  in  straight  marks.  Some  presented  their 
points  disposed  in  small  figures,  and  being  placed  upon  the  body, 
were,  by  a  single  blow  of  the  hammer,  made  to  leave  their  indeli 
ble  impression.  I  observed  a  few  the  handles  of  which  were 
mysteriously  curved,  as  if  intended  to  be  introduced  into  the 
orifice  of  the  ear,  with  a  view  perhaps  of  beating  the  tattoo  upon 
the  tympanum.  Altogether,  the  sight  of  these  strange  instruments 
recalled  to  mind  that  display  of  cruel-looking  mother-of-pearl- 
handled  things  which  one  sees  in  their  velvet-lined  cases  at  the 
elbow  of  a  dentist. 

The  artist  was  not  at  this  time  engaged  on  an  original  sketch, 
his  subject  being  a  venerable  savage,  whose  tattooing  had  become 
somewhat  faded  with  age  and  needed  a  few  repairs,  and  accord 
ingly  he  was  merely  employed  in  touching  up  the  works  of  some 
of  the  old  masters  of  the  Typee  school,  as  delineated  upon  the 
human  canvas  before  him.  The  parts  operated  upon  were  the 
eyelids,  where  a  longitudinal  streak,  like  the  one  which  adorned 
Kory-Kory,  crossed  the  countenance  of  the  victim. 

In  spite  of  all  the  efforts  of  the  poor  old  man,  sundry  twitchings 
and  screwings  of  the  muscles  of  the  face  denoted  the  exquisite 
sensibility  of  these  shutters  to  the  windows  of  his  soul,  which  he 
was  now  having  repainted.  But  the  artist,  with  a  heart  as  callous 
as  that  of  an  army  surgeon,  continued  his  performance,  enlivening 
his  labors  with  a  wild  chant,  tapping  away  the  while  as  merrily 
as  a  woodpecker. 

So  deeply  engaged  was  he  in  his  work,  that  he  had  not  observed 
our  approach,  until,  after  having  enjoyed  an  unmolested  view  of 
the  operation,  I  chose  to  attract  his  attention.  As  soon  as  he  per 
ceived  me,  supposing  that  I  sought  him  in  his  professional  capacity, 
he  seized  hold  of  me  in  a  paroxysm  of  delight,  and  was  all  eager 
ness  to  begin  the  work.  When,  however,  I  gave  him  to  under 
stand  that  he  had  altogether  mistaken  my  views,  nothing  could 
exceed  his  grief  and  disappointment.  But  recovering  from  this, 


278  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS,         [CHAP.  xxx. 

he  seemed  determined  not  to  credit  my  assertion,  and  grasping  his 
implements,  he  flourished  them  about  in  fearful  vicinity  to  my 
face,  going  through  an  imaginary  performance  of  his  art,  and 
every  moment  bursting  into  some  admiring  exclamation  at  the 
beauty  of  his  designs. 

Horrified  at  the  bare  thought  of  being  rendered  hideous  for  life 
if  the  wretch  were  to  execute  his  purpose  upon  me,  I  struggled  to 
get  away  from  him,  while  Kory-Kory,  turning  traitor,  stood  by, 
and  besought  me  to  comply  with  the  outrageous  request.  On  my 
reiterated  refusals  the  excited  artist  got  half  beside  himself,  and 
was  overwhelmed  with  sorrow  at  losing  so  noble  an  opportunity 
of  distinguishing  himself  in  his  profession. 

The  idea  of  engrafting  his  tattooing  upon  my  white  skin  filled 
him  with  all  a  painter's  enthusiasm  :  again  and  again  he  gazed 
into  my  countenance,  and  every  fresh  glimpse  seemed  to  add  to 
the  vehemence  of  his  ambition.  Not  knowing  to  what  extremities 
he  might  proceed,  and  shuddering  at  the  ruin  he  might  inflict  upon 
my  figure-head,  I  now  endeavored  to  draw  off  his  attention  from 
it,  and  holding  out  my  arm  in  a  fit  of  desperation,  signed  to  him 
to  commence  operations.  But  he  rejected  the  compromise  indig 
nantly,  and  still  continued  his  attack  on  my  face,  as  though  nothing 
short  of  that  would  satisfy  him.  When  his  fore-finger  swept 
across  my  features,  in  laying  out  the  borders  of  those  parallel 
bands  which  were  to  encircle  my  countenance,  the  flesh  fairly 
crawled  upon  my  bones.  At  last,  half  wild  with  terror  and  indig 
nation,  I  succeeded  in  breaking  away  from  the  three  savages,  and 
fled  towards  old  Marheyo's  house,  pursued  by  the  indomitable 
artist,  who  ran  after  me,  implements  in  hand.  Kory-Kory,  how 
ever,  at  last  interfered,  and  drew  him  off  from  the  chace. 

This  incident  opened  my  eyes  to  a  new  danger ;  and  I  now 
felt  convinced  that  in  some  luckless  hour  I  should  be  disfigured 
in  such  a  manner  as  never  more  to  have  the  face  to  return  to  my 
countrymen,  even  should  an  opportunity  offer. 


CHAP,  xxx.]         NARROWLY  ESCAPES  TATTOOING.  279 

These  apprehensions  were  greatly  increased  by  the  desire 
which  King  Mehevi  and  several  of  the  inferior  chiefs  now  mani 
fested  that  I  should  be  tattooed.  The  pleasure  of  the  king  was 
first  signified  to  me  some  three  days  after  my  casual  encounter 
with  Karky  the  artist.  Heavens !  what  imprecations  I  showered 
upon  that  Karky.  Doubtless  he  had  plotted  a  conspiracy  against 
me  and  my  countenance,  and  would  never  rest  until  his  diabolical 
purpose  was  accomplished.  Several  times  I  met  him  in  various 
parts  of  the  valley,  and,  invariably,  whenever  he  descried  me,  he 
came  running  after  me  with  his  mallet  and  chisel,  flourishing  them 
about  my  face  as  if  he  longed  to  begin.  What  an  object  he  would 
have  made  of  me ! 

When  the  king  first  expressed  his  wish  to  me,  I  made  known 
to  him  my  utter  abhorrence  of  the  measure,  and  worked  myself 
into  such  a  state  of  excitement,  that  he  absolutely  stared  at  me  in 
amazement.  It  evidently  surpassed  his  majesty's  comprehension 
how  any  sober-minded  and  sensible  individual  could  entertain  the 
least  possible  objection  to  so  beautifying  an  operation. 

Soon  afterwards  he  repeated  his  suggestion,  and  meeting  with 
a  like  repulse,  showed  some  symptoms  of  displeasure  at  my  ob 
duracy.  On  his  a  third  time  renewing  his  request,  I  plainly  per 
ceived  that  something  must  be  done,  or  my  visage  was  ruined  for 
ever ;  I  therefore  screwed  up  my  courage  to  the  sticking  point, 
and  declared  my  willingness  to  have  both  arms  tattooed  from  just 
above  the  wrist  to  the  shoulder.  His  majesty  was  greatly  pleased 
at  the  proposition,  and  I  was  congratulating  myself  with  having 
thus  compromised  the  matter,  when  he  intimated  that  as  a  thing 
of  course  my  face  was  first  to  undergo  the  operation.  I  was  fairly 
driven  to  despair ;  nothing  but  the  utter  ruin  of  my  "  face  divine," 
as  the  poets  call  it,  would,  I  perceived,  satisfy  the  inexorable  Me 
hevi  and  his  chiefs,  or  rather,  that  infernal  Karky,  for  he  was  at 
the  bottom  of  it  all. 

The  only  consolation  afforded  me  was  a  choice  of  patterns :  I 


2SO  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.         [CHAP.  xxx. 

was  at  perfect  liberty  to  have  my  face  spanned  by  three  horizontal 
bars,  after  the  fashion  of  my  serving-man's ;  or  to  have  as  many 
oblique  stripes  slanting  across  it ;  or  if,  like  a  true  courtier,  I 
chose  to  model  my  style  on  that  of  royalty,  I  might  wear  a  sort 
of  freemason  badge  upon  my  countenance  in  the  shape  of  a  mystic 
triangle.  However,  I  would  have  none  of  these,  though  the  king 
most  earnestly  impressed  upon  my  mind  that  my  choice  was 
wholly  unrestricted.  At  last,  seeing  my  unconquerable  repug 
nance,  he  ceased  to  importune  me. 

But  not  so  some  other  of  the  savages.  Hardly  a  day  passed 
but  I  was  subjected  to  their  annoying  requests,  until  at  last  my 
existence  became  a  burden  to  me  ;  the  pleasures  I  had  previously 
enjoyed  no  longer  afforded  me  delight,  and  all  my  former  desire 
to  escape  from  the  valley  now  revived  with  additional  force. 

A  fact  which  I  soon  afterwards  learned  augmented  my  appre 
hension.  The  whole  system  of  tattooing  was,  I  found,  connected 
with  their  religion  ;  and  it  was  evident,  therefore,  that  they  were 
resolved  to  make  a  convert  of  me. 

In  the  decoration  of  the  chiefs  it  seems  to  be  necessary  to  exer 
cise  the  most  elaborate  pencilling ;  while  some  of  the  inferior 
natives  looked  as  if  they  had  been  daubed  over  indiscriminately 
with  a  house-painter's  brush.  I  remember  one  fellow  who  prided 
himself  hugely  upon  a  great  oblong  patch,  placed  high  upon  his 
back,  and  who  always  reminded  me  of  a  man  with  a  blister  of 
Spanish  flies  stuck  between  his  shoulders.  Another  whom  I  fre 
quently  met  had  the  hollow  of  his  eyes  tattooed  in  two  regular 
squares,  and  his  visual  organs  being  remarkably  brilliant,  they 
gleamed  forth  from  out  this  setting  like  a  couple  of  diamonds  in 
serted  in  ebony. 

Although  convinced  that  tattooing  was  a  religious  observance, 
still  the  nature  of  the  connection  between  it  and  the  superstitious 
idolatry  of  the  people  was  a  point  upon  which  I  could  never  obtain 


CHAP,  xxx.]  TABOO.  281 

any  information.  Like  the  still  more  important  system  of  the 
"  Taboo,"  it  always  appeared  inexplicable  to  me. 

There  is  a  marked  similarity,  almost  an  identity,  between  the 
religious  institutions  of  most  of  the  Polynesian  islands,  and  in  all 
exists  the  mysterious  "  Taboo,"  restricted  in  its  uses  to  a  greater 
or  less  extent.  So  strange  and  complex  in  its  arrangements  is 
this  remarkable  system,  that  I  have  in  several  cases  met  with 
individuals  who,  after  residing  for  years  among  the  islands  in  the 
Pacific,  and  acquiring  a  considerable  knowledge  of  the  language, 
have  nevertheless  been  altogether  unable  to  give  any  satisfactory 
account  of  its  operations.  Situated  as  I  was  in  the  Typee  valley, 
I  perceived  every  hour  the  effects  of  this  all-controlling  power, 
without  in  the  least  comprehending  it.  Those  effects  were,  in 
deed,  wide-spread  and  universal,  pervading  the  most  important  as 
well  as  the  minutest  transactions  of  life.  The  savage,  in  short, 
lives  in  the  continual  observance  of  its  dictates,  which  guide  and 
control  every  action  of  his  being. 

For  several  days  after  entering  the  valley  I  had  been  saluted 
at  least  fifty  times  in  the  twenty-four  hours  with  the  talismanic 
word  "  Taboo"  shrieked  in  my  ears,  at  some  gross  violation  of 
its  provisions,  of  which  I  had  unconsciously  been  guilty.  The 
day  after  our  arrival  I  happened  to  hand  some  tobacco  to  Toby 
over  the  head  of  a  native  who  sat  between  us.  He  started  up,  as 
if  stung  by  an  adder ;  while  the  whole  company,  manifesting  an 
equal  degree  of  horror,  simultaneously  screamed  out  "  taboo  !  " 
I  never  again  perpetrated  a  similar  piece  of  ill-manners,  which, 
indeed,  was  forbidden  by  the  canons  of  good  breeding,  as  well  as 
by  the  mandates  of  the  taboo.  But  it  was  not  always  so  easy  to 
perceive  wherein  you  had  contravened  the  spirit  of  this  institution. 
I  was  many  times  called  to  order,  if  I  may  use  the  phrase,  when 
I  could  not  for  the  life  of  me  conjecture  what  particular  offence  I 
had  committed. 

One  day  I  was  strolling  through  a  secluded  portion  of  the  val- 


282  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.         [CHAP.  xxx. 

ley,  and  hearing  the  musical  sound  of  the  cloth -mallet  at  a  little 
distance,  I  turned  down  a  path  that  conducted  me  in  a  few  mo 
ments  to  a  house  where  there  were  some  half-dozen  girls  em 
ployed  in  making  tappa.  This  was  an  operation  I  had  frequently 
witnessed,  and  had  handled  the  bark  in  all  the  various  stages  of 
its  preparation.  On  the  present  occasion  the  females  were  intent 
upon  their  occupation,  and  after  looking  up  and  talking  gaily  to 
me  for  a  few  moments,  they  resumed  their  employment.  I  re 
garded  them  for  awhile  in  silence,  and  then  carelessly  picking  up 
a  handful  of  the  material  that  lay  around,  proceeded  unconsciously 
to  pick  it  apart.  While  thus  engaged,  I  was  suddenly  startled 
by  a  scream,  like  that  of  a  whole  boarding-school  of  young  ladies 
just  on  the  point  of  going  into  hysterics.  Leaping  up  with  the 
idea  of  seeing  a  score  of  Happar  warriors  about  to  perform 
anew  the  Sabine  atrocity,  I  found  myself  confronted  by  the  com 
pany  of  girls,  who,  having  dropped  their  work,  stood  before  me 
with  starting  eyes,  swelling  bosoms,  and  fingers  pointed  in  horror 
towards  me. 

Thinking  that  some  venomous  reptile  must  be  concealed  in  the 
bark  which  I  held  in  my  hand,  I  began  cautiously  to  separate  and 
examine  it.  Whilst  I  did  so  the  horrified  girls  redoubled  their 
shrieks.  Their  wild  cries  and  frightened  motions  actually  alarmed 
me,  and  throwing  down  the  tappa,  I  was  about  to  rush  from  the 
house,  when  in  the  same  instant  their  clamors  ceased,  and  one  of 
them,  seizing  me  by  the  arm,  pointed  to  the  broken  fibres  that  had 
just  fallen  from  my  grasp,  and  screamed  in  my  ears  the  fatal 
word  Taboo ! 

I  subsequently  found  out  that  the  fabric  they  were  engaged  in 
making  was  of  a  peculiar  kind,  destined  to  be  worn  on  the  heads 
of  the  females,  and  through  every  stage  of  its  manufacture  was 
guarded  by  a  vigorous  taboo,  which  interdicted  the  whole  mascu 
line  gender  from  even  so  much  as  touching  it. 

Frequently  in  walking  through  the  groves  I  observed  bread- 


CHAP  xxx.]  TABOO.  283 

fruit  and  cocoa-nut  trees,  with  a  wreath  of  leaves  twined  in  a 
peculiar  fashion  about  their  trunks.  This  was  the  mark  of  the 
taboo.  The  trees  themselves,  their  fruit,  and  even  the  shadows 
they  cast  upon  the  ground,  were  consecrated  by  its  presence.  In 
the  same  way  a  pipe,  which  the  king  had  bestowed  upon  me,  was 
rendered  sacred  in  the  eyes  of  the  natives,  none  of  whom  could  I 
ever  prevail  upon  to  smoke  from  it.  The  bowl  was  encircled  by 
a  woven  band  of  grass,  somewhat  resembling  those  Turks'  heads 
occasionally  worked  in  the  handles  of  our  whip-stalks. 

A  similar  badge  was  once  braided  about  my  wrist  by  the  royal 
hand  of  Mehevi  himself,  who,  as  soon  as  he  had  concluded  the 
operation,  pronounced  me  "  Taboo."  This  occurred  shortly  after 
Toby's  disappearance  ;  and  were  it  not  that  from  the  first  mo 
ment  I  had  entered  the  valley  the  natives  had  treated  me  with 
uniform  kindness,  I  should  have  supposed  that  their  conduct 
afterwards  was  to  be  ascribed  to  the  fact  that  I  had  received  this 
sacred  investiture. 

The  capricious  operations  of  the  taboo  are  not  its  least  remark 
able  feature  :  to  enumerate  them  all  would  be  impossible.  Black 
hogs — infants  to  a  certain  age — women  in  an  interesting  situa 
tion — young  men  while  the  operation  of  tattooing  their  faces  is 
going  on — and  certain  parts  of  the  valley  during  the  continu 
ance  of  a  shower — are  alike  fenced  about  by  the  operation  of  the 
taboo. 

I  witnessed  a  striking  instance  of  its  effects  in  the  bay  of  Tior, 
my  visit  to  which  place  has  been  alluded  to  in  a  former  part  of 
this  narrative.  On  that  occasion  our  worthy  captain  formed  one 
of  the  party.  He  was  a  most  insatiable  sportsman.  Outward 
bound,  and  off  the  pitch  of  Cape  Horn,  he  used  to  sit  on  the  taf- 
frail,  and  keep  the  steward  loading  three  or  four  old  fowling- 
pieces,  with  which  he  would  bring  down  albatrosses,  Cape  pigeons, 
jays,  petrels,  and  divers  other  marine  fowl,  who  followed  chatter 
ing  in  our  wake.  The  sailors  were  struck  aghast  at  his  impiety, 


284  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.  [CHAP.  xxx. 

and  one  and  all  attributed  our  forty  days'  beating  about  that 
horrid  headland  to  his  sacrilegious  slaughter  of  these  inoffensive 
birds. 

At  Tior  he  evinced  the  same  disregard  for  the  religious  preju 
dices  of  the  islanders,  as  he  had  previously  shown  for  the  super 
stitions  of  the  sailors.  Having  heard  that  there  were  a  considera 
ble  number  of  fowls  in  the  valley — the  progeny  of  some  cocks 
and  hens  accidentally  left  there  by  an  English  vessel,  and  which, 
being  strictly  tabooed,  flew  about  almost  in  a  wild  state — he  de 
termined  to  break  through  all  restraints,  and  be  the  death  of 
them.  Accordingly,  he  provided  himself  with  a  most  formidable 
looking  gun,  and  announced  his  landing  on  the  beach  by  shooting 
down  a  noble  cock  that  was  crowing  what  proved  to  be  his  own 
funeral  dirge,  on  the  limb  of  an  adjoining  tree.  "  Taboo," 
shrieked  fhe  affrighted  savages.  "  Oh,  hang  your  taboo,"  says 
the  nautical  sportsman  ;  "  talk  taboo  to  the  marines  ;"  and  bang 
went  the  piece  again,  and  down  came  another  victim.  At  this 
the  natives  ran  scampering  through  the  groves,  horror-struck  at 
the  enormity  of  the  act. 

All  that  afternoon  the  rocky  sides  of  the  valley  rang  with  suc 
cessive  reports,  and  the  superb  plumage  of  many  a  beautiful  fowl 
was  ruffled  by  the  fatal  bullet.  Had  it  not  been  that  the  French 
admiral,  with  a  large  party,  was  then  in  the  glen,  1  have  no 
doubt  that  the  natives,  although  their  tribe  was  small  and  dispirit 
ed,  would  have  inflicted  summary  vengeance  upon  the  man  who 
thus  outraged  their  most  sacred  institutions  ;  as  it  was,  they  con 
trived  to  annoy  him  not  a  little. 

Thirsting  with  his  exertions,  the  skipper  directed  his  steps  to 
a  stream  ;  but  the  savages,  who  had  followed  at  a  little  distance, 
perceiving  his  object,  rushed  towards  him  and  forced  him  away 
from  its  bank — his  lips  would  have  polluted  it.  Wearied  at  last, 
he  sought  to  enter  a  house  that  he  might  rest  for  a  while  on  the 
mats  ;  its  inmates  gathered  tumultuously  about  the  door  and  de- 


CHAP,  xxx.]  TABOO.  285 

nied  him  admittance.  He  coaxed  and  blustered  by  turns,  but  in 
vain ;  the  natives  were  neither  to  be  intimidated  nor  appeased, 
and  as  a  final  resort  he  was  obliged  to  call  together  his  boat's 
crew,  and  pull  away  from  what  he  termed  the  most  infernal  place 
he  ever  stepped  upon. 

Lucky  was  it  for  him  and  for  us  that  we  were  not  honored  on 
oui%  departure  by  a  salute  of  stones  from  the  hands  of  the  exas 
perated  Tiors.  In  this  way,  on  the  neighboring  island  of  Ropo, 
were  killed,  but  a  few  weeks  previously,  and  for  a  nearly  similar 
offence,  the  master  and  three  of  the  crew  of  the  K . 

I  cannot  determine  with  anything  approaching  to  certainty,  what 
power  it  is  that  imposes  the  taboo.  When  I  consider  the  slight 
disparity  of  condition  among  the  islanders — the  very  limited  and 
inconsiderable  prerogatives  of  the  king  and  chiefs — and  the  loose 
and  indefinite  functions  of  the  priesthood,  most  of  whom  were 
hardly  to  be  distinguished  from  the  rest  of  their  countrymen,  I 
am  wholly  at  a  loss  where  to  look  for  the  authority  which  regu 
lates  this  potent  institution.  It  is  imposed  upon  something  to 
day,  and  withdrawn  to-morrow  ;  while  its  operations  in  other 
cases  are  perpetual.  Sometimes  its  restrictions  only  affect  a 
single  'individual — sometimes  a  particular  family — sometimes  a 
whole  tribe ;  and  in  a  few  instances  they  extend  not  merely 
over  the  various  clans  on  a  single  island,  but  over  all  the  inha 
bitants  of  an  entire  group.  In  illustration  of  this  latter  peculiar 
ity,  I  may  cite  the  law  which  forbids  a  female  to  enter  a  canoe — 
a  prohibition  which  prevails  upon  all  the  northern  Marquesas 
Islands. 

The  word  itself  (taboo)  is  used  in  more  than  one  significa 
tion.  It  is  sometimes  used  by  a  parent  to  his  child,  when  in  the 
exercise  of  parental  authority  he  forbids  it  to  perform  a  parti 
cular  action.  Anything  opposed  to  the  ordinary  customs  of 
the  islanders,  although  not  expressly  prohibited,  is  said  to  be 
« taboo." 


286  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.        [CHAP.  xxx. 

The  Typee  language  is  one  very  difficult  to  be  acquired  ;  it 
bears  a  close  resemblance  to  the  other  Polynesian  dialects,  all  of 
which  show  a  common  origin.  The  duplication  of  words,  as 
"  lumee  lumee,"  "  poee  poee,"  "  muee  muee,"  is  one  of  their 
peculiar  features.  But  another,  and  a  more  annoying  one,  is  the 
different  senses  in  which  one  and  the  same  word  is  employed  ;  its 
various  meanings  all  have  a  certain  connection,  which  only  makes 
the  matter  more  puzzling.  So  one  brisk,  lively  little  word  is 
obliged,  like  a  servant  in  a  poor  family,  to  perform  all  sorts  of 
duties ;  for  instance,  one  particular  combination  of  syllables  ex 
presses  the  ideas  of  sleep,  rest,  reclining,  sitting,  leaning,  and  all 
other  things  anyways  analogous  thereto,  the  particular  meaning 
being  shown  chiefly  by  a  variety  of  gestures  and  the  eloquent 
expression  of  the  countenance. 

The  intricacy  of  these  dialects  is  another  peculiarity.  In  the 
Missionary  College  at  Lahainaluna,  or  Mawee,  one  of  the  Sand- 
wich  Islands,  I  saw  a  tabular  exhibition  of  a  Hawiian  verb,  con 
jugated  through  all  its  moods  and  tenses.  It  covered  the  side  of 
a  considerable  apartment,  and  I  doubt  whether  Sir  William  Jones 
himself  would  not  have  despaired  of  mastering  it. 


CHAP  xxxi.]  CHANTING.  287 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

Strange  custom  of  the  Islanders — Their  Chanting,  and  the  peculiarity  of 
their  Voice — Rapture  of  the  King  at  first  hearing  a  Song — A  new  Dignity 
conferred  on  the  Author — Musical  Instruments  in  the  Valley — Admira 
tion  of  the  Savages  at  beholding  a  Pugilistic  Performance — Swimming 
Infant — Beautiful  Tresses  of  the  Girls — Ointment  for  the  Hair. 

SADLY  discursive  as  I  have  already  been,  I  must  still  further  en- 
treat  the  reader's  patience,  as  I  am  about  to  string  together, 
without  any  attempt  at  order,  a  few  odds  and  ends  of  things  not 
hitherto  mentioned,  but  which  are  either  curious  in  themselves  or 
peculiar  to  the  Typees. 

There  was  one  singular  custom,  observed  in  old  Marheyo's 
domestic  establishment,  which  often  excited  my  surprise.  Every 
night,  before  retiring,  the  inmates  of  the  house  gathered  together 
on  the  mats,  and  squatting  upon  their  haunches,  after  the  uni 
versal  practice  of  these  islanders,  would  commence  a  low,  dismal, 
and  monotonous  chant,  accompanying  the  voice  with  the  instru 
mental  melody  produced  by  two  small  half-rotten  sticks  tapped 
slowly  together,  a  pair  of  which  were  held  in  the  hands  of  each 
person  present.  Thus  would  they  employ  themselves  for  an  hour 
or  two,  sometimes  longer.  Lying  in  the  gloom  which  wrapped 
the  further  end  of  the  house,  I  could  not  avoid  looking  at  them, 
although  the  spectacle  suggested  nothing  but  unpleasant  reflec 
tions.  The  flickering  rays  of  the  "  armor "  nut  just  served  to 
reveal  their  savage  lineaments,  without  dispelling  the  darkness 
that  hovered  about  them. 

Sometimes  when,  after  falling  into  a  kind  of  doze,  and  awaking 

14 


288  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  xxxi. 

suddenly  in  the  midst  of  these  doleful  chantings,  my  eye  would 
fall  upon  the  wild-looking  group  engaged  in  their  strange  occu 
pation,  with  their  naked  tattooed  limbs,  and  shaven  heads  dis 
posed  in  a  circle,  I  was  almost  tempted  to  believe  that  I  gazed 
upon  a  set  of  evil  beings  in  the  act  of  working  a  frightful  in 
cantation. 

What  was  the  meaning  or  purpose  of  this  custom,  whether  it 
was  practised  merely  as  a  diversion,  or  whether  it  was  a  religious 
exercise,  a  sort  of  family  prayers,  I  never  could  discover. 

The  sounds  produced  by  the  natives  on  these  occasions  were 
of  a  most  singular  description  ;  and  had  I  not  actually  been  pre 
sent,?!  never  would  have  believed  that  such  curious  noises  could 
have  been  produced  by  human  beings. 

To  savages  generally  is  imputed  a  guttural  articulation.  This, 
however,  is  not  always  the  case,  especially  among  the  inhabitants 
of  the  Polynesian  Archipelago.  The  labial  melody  with  which 
the  Typee  girls  carry  on  an  ordinary  conversation,  giving  a  mu 
sical  prolongation  to  the  final  syllable  of  every  sentence,  and 
chirping  out  some  of  the  words  with  a  liquid,  bird-like  accent, 
was  singularly  pleasing. 

The  men,  however,  are  not  quite  so  harmonious  in  their  utter 
ance,  and  when  excited  upon  any  subject,  would  work  themselves 
up  into  a  sort  of  wordy  paroxysm,  during  which  all  descriptions 
of  rough-sided  sounds  were  projected  from  their  mouths,  with  a 

force  and  rapidity  which  was  absolutely  astonishing. 

****** 

Although  these  savages  are  remarkably  fond  of  chanting,  still 
they  appear  to  have  no  idea  whatever  of  singing,  at  least  as  the 
art  is  practised  among  other  nations. 

I  never  shall  forget  the  first  time  I  happened  to  roar  out  a 
stave  in  the  presence  of  the  noble  Mehevi.  It  was  a  stanza  from 
the  "  Bavarian  broom-seller."  His  Typean  majesty,  with  all  his 
court,  gazed  upon  me  in  amazement,  as  if  I  had  displayed  some 


CHAP,  xxxi.]  NASAL  FLUTE.  289 

preternatural  faculty  which  Heaven  had  denied  to  them.  The 
king  was  delighted  with  the  verse  ;  but  the  chorus  fairly  trans 
ported  him.  At  his  solicitation  I  sang  it  again  and  again,  and 
nothing  could  be  more  ludicrous  than  his  vain  attempts  to  catch 
the  air  and  the  words.  The  royal  savage  seemed  to  think  that 
by  screwing  all  the  features  of  his  face  into  the  end  of  his  nose 
he  might  possibly  succeed  in  the  undertaking,  but  it  failed  to 
answer  the  purpose;  and  in  the  end  he  gave  it  up,  and  consoled 
himself  by  listening  to  my  repetition  of  the  sounds  fifty  times 
over. 

Previous  to  Mehevi's  making  the  discovery,  I  had  never  been 
'aware  that  there  was  anything  of  the  nightingale  about  me ;  but 
I  was  now  promoted  to  the  place  of  court-minstrel,  in  which  ca 
pacity  I  was  afterwards  perpetually  called  upon  to  officiate. 
****** 

Besides  the  sticks  and  the  drums,  there  are  no  other  musical 
instruments  among  the  Typees,  except  one  which  might  appro 
priately  be  denominated  a  nasal  flute.  It  is  somewhat  longer 
than  an  ordinary  fife  ;  is  made  of  a  beautiful  scarlet-colored  reed ; 
and  has  four  or  five  stops,  with  a  large  hole  near  one  end,  which 
latter  is  held  just  beneath  the  left  nostril.  The  other  nostril  being 
closed  by  a  peculiar  movement  of  the  muscles  about  the  nose,  the 
breath  is  forced  into  the  tube,  and  produces  a  soft  dulcet  sound, 
which  is  varied  by  the  fingers  running  at  random  over  the  stops. 
This  is  a  favorite  recreation  with  the  females,  and  one  in  which 
Pay  away  greatly  excelled.  Awkward  as  such  an  instrument 
may  appear,  it  was,  in  Fayaway's  delicate  little  hands,  one  of  the 
most  graceful  I  have  ever  seen.  A  young  lady,  in  the  act  of 
tormenting  a  guitar  strung  about  her  neck  by  a  couple  of  yards 

of  blue  ribbon,  is  not  half  so  engaging. 

*  *  *  *  *  * 

Singing  was  not  the  only  means  I  possessed  of  diverting  the 
royal  Mehevi  and  his  easy-going  subjects.  Nothing  afforded 


290  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  xxxi. 

them  more  pleasure  than  to  see  me  go  through  the  attitude  of 
pugilistic  encounter.  As  not  one  of  the  natives  had  soul  enough 
in  him  to  stand  up  like  a  man,  and  allow  me  to  hammer  away  at 
him,  for  my  own  personal  gratification  and  that  of  the  king,  I  was 
necessitated  to  fight  with  an  imaginary  enemy,  whom  I  invariably 
made  to  knock  under  to  my  superior  prowess.  Sometimes  when 
this  sorely  battered  shadow  retreated  precipitately  towards  a 
group  of  the  savages,  and,  following  him  up,  I  rushed  among 
them  dealing  my  blows  right  and  left,  they  would  disperse  in  all 
directions,  much  to  the  enjoyment  of  Mehevi,  the  chiefs,  and 
themselves. 

The  noble  art  of  self-defence  appeared  to  be  regarded  by  them 
as  the  peculiar  gift  of  the  white  man ;  and  I  make  little  doubt 
but  that  they  supposed  armies  of  Europeans  were  drawn  up  pro 
vided  with  nothing  else  but  bony  fists  and  stout  hearts,  with  which 
they  set  to  in  column,  and  pummelled  one  another  at  the  word  of 

command. 

****** 

One  day,  in  company  with  Kory-Kory,  I  had  repaired  to  the 
stream  for  the  purpose  of  bathing,  when  I  observed  a  woman 
sitting  upon  a  rock  in  the  midst  of  the  current,  and  watching 
with  the  liveliest  interest  the  gambols  of  something,  which  at 
first  I  took  to  be  an  uncommonly  large  species  of  frog  that  was 
sporting  in  the  water  near  her.  Attracted  by  the  novelty  of  the 
sight,  I  waded  towards  the  spot  where  she  sat,  and  could  hardly 
credit  the  evidence  of  my  senses  when  I  beheld  a  little  infant,  the 
period  of  whose  birth  could  not  have  extended  back  many  days, 
paddling  about  as  if  it  had  just  risen  to  the  surface,  after  being 
hatched  into  existence  at  the  bottom.  Occasionally  the  delighted 
parent  reached  out  her  hands  towards  it,  when  the  little  thing, 
uttering  a  faint  cry,  and  striking  out  its  tiny  limbs,  would  sidle 
for  the  rock,  and  the  next  moment  be  clasped  to  its  mother's  bo 
som.  This  was  repeated  again  and  again,  the  baby  remaining 


CHAP,  xxxi.]  LUXURIANT  HAIR.  291 

in  the  stream  about  a  minute  at  a  time.  Once  or  twice  it  made 
wry  faces  at  swallowing  a  mouthful  of  water,  and  choked  and 
spluttered  as  if  on  the  point  of  strangling.  At  such  times,  how 
ever,  the  mother  snatched  it  up,  and  by  a  process  scarcely  to  be 
mentioned  obliged  it  to  eject  the  fluid.  For  several  weeks  after 
wards  I  observed  the  woman  bringing  her  child  down  to  the 
stream  regularly  every  day,  in  the  cool  of  the  morning  and 
evening,  and  treating  it  to  a  bath.  No  wonder  that  the  South  Sea 
Islanders  are  so  amphibious  a  race,  when  they  are  thus  launched 
into  the  water  as  soon  us  they  see  the  light.  I  am  convinced 
that  it  is  as  natural  for  a  human  being  to  swim  as  it  is  for  a  duck. 
And  yet  in  civilized  communities  how  many  able-bodied  indi 
viduals  die,  like  so  many  drowning  kittens,  from  the  occurrence 

of  the  most  trivial  accidents ! 

****** 

The  long  luxuriant  and  glossy  tresses  of  the  Typee  damsels 
often  attracted  my  admiration.  A  fine  head  of  hair  is  the  pride 
and  joy  of  every  woman's  heart !  Whether  against  the  express 
will  of  Providence,  it  is  twisted  up  on  the  crown  of  the  head  and 
there  coiled  away  like  a  rope  on  a  ship's  deck ;  whether  it  be 
stuck  behind  the  ears  and  hangs  down  like  the  swag  of  a  small 
window-curtain ;  or  whether  it  be  permitted  to  flow  over  the 
shoulders  in  natural  ringlets,  it  is  always  the  pride  of  the  owner, 
and  the  glory  of  the  toilette. 

The  Typee  girls  devote  much  of  their  time  to  the  dressing  of 
their  fair  and  redundant  locks.  After  bathing,  as  they  sometimes 
do  five  or  six  times  every  day,  the  hair  is  carefully  dried,  and  if 
they  have  been  in  the  sea,  invariably  washed  in  fresh  water,  and 
anointed  with  a  highly  scented  oil  extracted  from  the  meat  of 
the  cocoa-nut.  This  oil  is  obtained  in  great  abundance  by  the 
following  very  simple  process  : 

A  large  vessel  of  wood,  with  holes  perforated  in  the  bottom,  is 
filled  with  the  pounded  meat,  and  exposed  to  the  rays  of  the  sun. 


292  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  xxxi. 

As  the  oleaginous  matter  exudes,  it  falls  in  drops  through  the 
apertures  into  a  wide-mouthed  calabash  placed  underneath. 
After  a  sufficient  quantity  has  thus  been  collected,  the  oil  under 
goes  a  purifying  process,  arid  is  then  poured  into  the  small 
spherical  shells  of  the  nuts  of  the  moo-tree,  which  are  hollowed 
out  to  receive  it.  These  nuts  are  then  hermetically  sealed  with 
a  resinous  gum,  and  the  vegetable  fragrance  of  their  green  rind 
soon  imparts  to  the  oil  a  delightful  odor.  After  the  lapse  of  a 
few  weeks  the  exterior  shell  of  the  nuts  becomes  quite  dry  and 
hard,  and  assumes  a  beautiful  carnation  tint ;  and  when  opened 
they  are  found  to  be  about  two-thirds  full  of  an  ointment  of  a 
light  yellow  color,  and  diffusing  the  sweetest  perfume.  This 
elegant  little  odorous  globe  would  not  be  out  of  place  even  upon 
the  toilette  of  a  queen.  Its  merits  as  a  preparation  for  the  hair 
are  undeniable — it  imparts  to  it  a  superb  gloss  and  a  silky  fine 
ness. 


CHAP,  xxxn.]  APPREHENSIONS  OF  EVIL.  293 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

Apprehensions  of  Evil — Frightful  Discovery — Some  remarks  on  Canni 
balism — Second  Battle  with  the  Happars — Savage  Spectacle — Mysterious 
Feast — Subsequent  Disclosures. 

FROM  the  time  of  my  casual  encounter  with  Karky  the  artist, 
my  life  was  one  of  absolute  wretchedness.  Not  a  day.passed  but 
I  was  persecuted  by  the  solicitations  of  some  of  the  natives  to 
subject  myself  to  the  odious  operation  of  tattooing.  Their  im 
portunities  drove  me  half  wild,  for  I  felt  how  easily  they  might 
work  their  will  upon  me  regarding  this  or  anything  else  which 
they  took  into  their  heads.  Still,  however,  the  behavior  of  the 
islanders  towards  me  was  as  kind  as  ever.  Fayaway  was  quite 
as  engaging  ;  Kory-Kory  as  devoted :  and  Mehevi  the  king  just 
as  gracious  and  condescending  as  before.  But  I  had  now  been 
three  months  in  their  valley,  as  nearly  as  I  could  estimate  ;  I  had 
grown  familiar  with  the  narrow  limits  to  which  my  wanderings 
had  been  confined ;  and  I  began  bitterly  to  feel  the  state  of  cap 
tivity  in  which  I  was  held.  There  was  no  one  with  whom  I 
could  freely  converse ;  no  one  to  whom  I  could  communicate 
my  thoughts  ;  no  one  who  could  sympathize  with  my  sufferings. 
A  thousand  times  I  thought  how  much  more  endurable  would 
have  been  my  lot  had  Toby  still  been  with  me.  But  I  was  left 
alone,  and  the  thought  was  terrible  to  me.  Still,  despite  my 
griefs,  I  did  all  in  my  power  to  appear  composed  and  cheerful, 
well  knowing  that  by  manifesting  any  uneasiness,  or  any  desire 
to  escape,  I  should  only  frustrate  my  object. 

It  was  during  the  period  I  was  in  this  unhappy  frame  of 
mind  that  the  painful  malady  under  which  I  had  been  labor. 


294  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.      [CHAP,  xxxn 

ing — after  having  almost  completely  subsided — began  again  to 
show  itself,  and  with  symptoms  as  violent  as  ever.  This  added 
calamity  nearly  unmanned  me  ;  the  recurrence  of  the  complaint 
proved  that  without  powerful  remedial  applications  all  hope  of 
cure  was  futile ;  and  when  I  reflected  that  just  beyond  the  eleva 
tions  which  bound  me  in,  was  the  medical  relief  I  needed,  and 
that,  although  so  near,  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  avail  myself 
of  it,  the  thought  was  misery. 

In  this  wretched  situation,  every  circumstance  which  evinced 
the  savage  nature  of  the  beings  at  whose  mercy  I  was,  augmented 
the  fearful  apprehensions  that  consumed  me.  An  occurrence 
which  happened  about  this  time  affected  me  most  powerfully. 

1  have  already  mentioned  that  from  the  ridge-pole  of  Mar- 
heyo's  house  were  suspended  a  number  of  packages  enveloped  in 
tappa.  Many  of  these  I  had  often  seen  in  the  hands  of  the 
natives,  and  their  contents  had  been  examined  in  my  presence. 
But  there  were  three  packages  hanging  very  nearly  over  the 
place  where  I  lay,  which  from  their  remarkable  appearance  had 
often  excited  my  curiosity.  Several  times  I  had  asked  Kory- 
Kory  to  show  me  their  contents ;  but  my  servitor,  who  in  almost 
every  other  particular  had  acceded  to  my  wishes,  always  refused 
to  gratify  me  in  this. 

One  day,  returning  unexpectedly  from  the  "  Ti,"  my  arrival 
seemed  to  throw  the  inmates  of  the  house  into  the  greatest  con 
fusion.  They  were  seated  together  on  the  mats,  and  by  the  lines 
which  extended  from  the  roof  to  the  floor  I  immediately  perceived 
that  the  mysterious  packages  were  for  some  purpose  or  other 
under  inspection.  The  evident  alarm  the  savages  betrayed  filled 
me  with  forebodings  of  evil,  and  with  an  uncontrollable  desire  to 
penetrate  the  secret  so  jealously  guarded.  Despite  the  efforts  of 
Marheyo  and  Kory-Kory  to  restrain  me,  I  forced  my  way  into 
the  midst  of  the  circle,  and  just  caught  a  glimpse  of  three  human 


CHAP,  xxxn.]  FRIGHTFUL  DISCOVERY.  295 

heads,  which  others  of  the  party  were  hurriedly  enveloping  in 
the  coverings  from  which  they  had  been  taken. 

One  of  the  three  I  distinctly  saw.  It  was  in  a  state  of  perfect 
preservation,  and  from  the  slight  glimpse  I  had  of  it,  seemed  to 
have  been  subjected  to  some  smoking  operation  which  had  re 
duced  it  to  the  dry,  hard,  and  mummy-like  appearance  it  pre 
sented.  The  two  long  scalp-locks  were  twisted  up  into  balls 
upon  the  crown  of  the  head  in  the  same  way  that  the  individual 
had  worn  them  during  life.  The  sunken  cheeks  were  rendered 
yet  more  ghastly  by  the  rows  of  glistening  teeth  which  protruded 
from  between  the  lips,  while  the  sockets  of  the  eyes — filled  with 
oval  bits  of  mother-of-pearl  shell,  with  a  black  spot  in  the  centre 
— heightened  the  hideousness  of  its  aspect. 

Two  of  the  three  were  heads  of  the  islanders  ;  but  the  third, 
to  my  horror,  was  that  of  a  white  man.  Although  it  had  been 
quickly  removed  from  my  sight,  still  the  glimpse  I  had  of  it  was 
enough  to  convince  me  that  I  could  not  be  mistaken. 

Gracious  God  !  what  dreadful  thoughts  entered  my  mind.  In 
solving  this  mystery  perhaps  I  had  solved  another,  and  the  fate 
of  my  lost  companion  might  be  revealed  in  the  shocking  spectacle 
I  had  just  witnessed.  I  longed  to  have  torn  off  the  folds  of 
cloth,  and  satisfied  the  awful  doubts  under  which  I  labored. 
But  before  I  had  recovered  from  the  consternation  into  which  I 
had  been  thrown,  the  fatal  packages  were  hoisted  aloft  and  once 
more  swung  over  my  head.  The  natives  now  gathered  round  me 
tumultuously,  and  labored  to  convince  me  that  what  I  had  just 
seen  were  the  heads  of  three  Happar  warriors,  who  had  been  slain 
in  battle.  This  glaring  falsehood  added  to  my  alarm,  and  it  was 
not  until  I  reflected  that  I  had  observed  the  packages  swinging 
from  their  elevation  before  Toby's  disappearance,  that  I  could 
at  all  recover  my  composure. 

But  although  this  horrible  apprehension  had  been  dispelled,  I 
had  discovered  enough  to  fill  me,  in  my  present  state  of  mind, 
",-^,^  14* 


296  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.     [CHAP.  xxxn. 

with  the  most  bitter  reflections.  It  was  plain  that  I  had  seen  the 
last  relic  of  some  unfortunate  wretch,  who  must  have  been  mas 
sacred  on  the  beach  by  the  savages,  in  one  of  those  perilous  trad 
ing  adventures  which  I  have  before  described. 

It  was  not,  however,  alone  the  murder  of  the  stranger  that 
overcame  me  with  gloom.  I  shuddered  at  the  idea  of  the  subse 
quent  fate  his  inanimate  body  might  have  met  with.  Was  the 
same  doom  reserved  for  me  ?  Was  I  destined  to  perish  like  him 
— like  him,  perhaps,  to  be  devoured,  and  my  head  to  be  preserved 
as  a  fearful  memento  of  the  event  ?  My  imagination  ran  riot  in 
these  horrid  speculations,  and  I  felt  certain  that  the  worst  pos 
sible  evils  would  befall  me.  But  whatever  were  my  misgivings, 
I  studiously  concealed  them  from  the  islanders,  as  well  as  the 
full  extent  of  the  discovery  I  had  made. 

Although  the  assurances  which  the  Typees  had  often  given 
me,  that  they  never  eat  human  flesh,  had  not  convinced  me  that 
such  was  the  case,  yet,  having  been  so  long  a  time  in  the  valley 
without  witnessing  anything  which  indicated  the  existence  of  the 
practice,  I  began  to  hope  that  it  was  an  event  of  very  rare  occur 
rence,  and  that  I  should  be  spared  the  horror  of  witnessing  it 
during  my  stay  among  them :  but,  alas  !  these  hopes  were  soon 
destroyed. 

It  is  a  singular  fact,  that  in  all  our  accounts  of  cannibal  tribes 
we  have  seldom  received  the  testimony  of  an  eye-witness  to  the 
revolting  practice.  The  horrible  conclusion  has  almost  always 
been  derived  either  from  the  second-hand  evidence  of  Europeans, 
or  else  from  the  admissions  of  the  savages  themselves,  after  they 
have  in  some  degree  become  civilized.  The  Polynesians  are 
aware  of  the  detestation  in  which  Europeans  hold  this  custom, 
and  therefore  invariably  deny  its  existence,  and,  with  the  craft 
peculiar  to  savages,  endeavor  to  conceal  every  trace  of  it. 

The  excessive  unwillingness  betrayed  by  the  Sandwich  Island 
ers,  even  at  the  present  day,  to  allude  to  the  unhappy  fate  of 


CHAP,  xxxii.]  CANNIBALISM.  297 

Cook,  has  been  often  remarked.  And  so  well  have  they  suc 
ceeded  in  covering  that  event  with  mystery,  that  to  this  very 
hour,  despite  all  that  has  been  said  and  written  on  the  subject, 
it  still  remains  doubtful  whether  they  wreaked  upon  his  mur 
dered  body  the  vengeance  they  sometimes  inflicted  upon  their 
enemies. 

At  Karakikova,  the  scene  of  that  tragedy,  a  strip  of  ship's 
copper  nailed  against  an  upright  post  in  the  ground  used  to  in 
form  the  traveller  that  beneath  reposed  the  "  remains "  of  the 
great  circumnavigator.  But  I  am  strongly  inclined  to  believe 
not  only  that  the  corpse  was  refused  Christian  burial,  but  that 
the  heart  which  was  brought  to  Vancouver  some  time  after  the 
event,  and  which  the  Hawiians  stoutly  maintained  was  that  of 
Captain  Cook,  was  no  such  thing ;  and  that  the  whole  affair  was 
a  piece  of  imposture  which  was  sought  to  be  palmed  off  upon  the 
credulous  Englishman. 

A  few  years  since  there  was  living  on  the  island  of  Mowee 
(one  of  the  Sandwich  group)  an  old  chief,  who,  actuated  by  a 
morbid  desire  for  notoriety,  gave  himself  out  among  the  foreign 
residents  of  the  place  as  the  living  tomb  of  Captain  Cook's  big 
toe ! — affirming,  that  at  the  cannibal  entertainment  which  ensued 
after  the  lamented  Briton's  death,  that  particular  portion  of  his 
body  had  fallen  to  his  share.  His  indignant  countrymen  actually 
caused  him  to  be  prosecuted  in  the  native  courts,  on  a  charge 
nearly  equivalent  to  what  we  term  defamation  of  character ;  but 
the  old  fellow  persisting  in  his  assertion,  and  no  invalidating  proof 
being  adduced,  the  plaintiffs  were  cast  in  the  suit,  and  the  can 
nibal  reputation  of  the  defendant  fully  established.  This  result 
was  the  making  of  his  fortune  ;  ever  afterwards  he  was  in  the 
habit  of  giving  very  profitable  audiences  to  all  curious  travellers 
who  were  desirous  of  beholding  the  man  who  had  eaten  the  great 
navigator's  great  toe. 

About  a  week  after  my  discovery  of  the  contents  of  the  mys- 


298  RESIDENCE  IN  THE.  MARQUESAS.      [CHAP.  xxxn. 

terious  packages,  I  happened  to  be  at  the  Ti,  when  another  war. 
alarm  was  sounded,  and  the  natives  rushing  to  their  arms,  sallied 
out  to  resist  a  second  incursion  of  the  Happar  invaders.  The 
same  scene  was  again  repeated,  only  that  on  this  occasion  I  heard 
at  least  fifteen  reports  of  muskets  from  the  mountains  during  the 
time  that  the  skirmish  lasted.  An  hour  or  two  after  its  termina 
tion,  loud  paeans  chanted  through  the  valley  announced  the  ap 
proach  of  the  victors.  I  stood  with  Kory-Kory  leaning  against 
the  railing  of  the  pi-pi  awaiting  their  advance,  when  a  tumultu 
ous  crowd  of  islanders  emerged  with  wild  clamors  from  the  neigh 
boring  groves.  In  the  midst  of  them  marched  four  men,  one 
preceding  the  other  at  regular  intervals  of  eight  or  ten  feet,  with 
poles  of  a  corresponding  length,  extending  from  shoulder  to  shoul 
der,  to  which  were  lashed  with  thongs  of  bark  three  long  narrow 
bundles,  carefully  wrapped  in  ample  coverings  of  freshly  plucked 
palm-leaves,  tacked  together  with  slivers  of  bamboo.  Here  and 
there  upon  these  green  winding-sheets  might  be  seen  the  stains 
of  blood,  while  the  warriors  who  carried  the  frightful  burdens 
displayed  upon  their  naked  limbs  similar  sanguinary  marks. 
The  shaven  head  of  the  foremost  had  a  deep  gash  upon  it,  and 
the  clotted  gore  which  had  flowed  from  the  wound  remained  in 
dry  patches  around  it.  The  savage  seemed  to  be  sinking  under 
the  weight  he  bore.  The  bright  tattooing  upon  his  body  was 
covered  with  blood  and  dust ;  his  inflamed  eyes  rolled  in  their 
sockets,  and  his  whole  appearance  denoted  extraordinary  suffering 
and  exertion ;  yet  sustained  by  some  powerful  impulse,  he  con 
tinued  to  advance,  while  the  throng  around  him  with  wild  cheers 
sought  to  encourage  him.  The  other  three  men  were  marked 
about  the  arms  and  breasts  with  several  slight  wounds,  which 
they  somewhat  ostentatiously  displayed. 

These  four  individuals,  having  been  the  most  active  in  the  late 
encounter,  claimed  the  honor  of  bearing  the  bodies  of  their  slain 
enemies  to  the  Ti.  Such  was  the  conclusion  I  drew  from  my 


CHAP,  xxxn.]  SUSPICIONS.  299 

own  observations,  and,  as  far  as  I  could  understand,  from  the  ex 
planation  which  Kory-Kory  gave  me. 

The  royal  Mehevi  walked  by  the  side  of  these  heroes.  He 
carried  in  one  hand  a  musket,  from  the  barrel  of  which  was  sus 
pended  a  small  canvas  pouch  of  powder,  and  in  the  other  he 
grasped  a  short  javelin,  which  he  held  before  him  and  regarded 
with  fierce  exultation.  This  javelin  he  had  wrested  from  a  cele 
brated  champion  of  the  Happars,  who  had  ignominiously  fled, 
and  was  pursued  by  his  foes  beyond  the  summit  of  the  mountain. 

When  within  a  short  distance  of  the  Ti,  the  warrior  with  the 
wounded  head,  who  proved  to  be  Narmonee,  tottered  forward  two 
or  three  steps,  and  fell  helplessly  to  the  ground ;  but  not  before 
another  had  caught  the  end  of  the  pole  from  his  shoulder,  and 
placed  it  upon  his  own. 

The  excited  throng  of  islanders,  who  surrounded  the  person  of 
the  king  and  the  dead  bodies  of  the  enemy,  approached  the  spot 
where  I  stood,  brandishing  their  rude  implements  of  warfare, 
many  of  which  were  bruised  and  broken,  and  uttering  continual 
shouts  of  triumph.  When  the  crowd  drew  up  opposite  the  Ti, 
I  set  myself  to  watch  their  proceedings  most  attentively  ;  but 
scarcely  had  they  halted  when  my  servitor,  who  had  left  my 
side  for  an  instant,  touched  my  arm,  and  proposed  our  returning 
to  Marheyo's  house.  To  this  I  objected  ;  but,  to  my  surprise, 
Kory-Kory  reiterated  his  request,  and  with  an  unusual  vehemence 
of  manner.  Still,  however,  I  refused  to  comply,  and  was  re 
treating  before  him,  as  in  his  importunity  he  pressed  upon  me, 
when  I  felt  a  heavy  hand  laid  upon  my  shoulder,  and  turning 
round,  encountered  the  bulky  form  of  Mow-mow,  a  one-eyed 
chief,  who  had  just  detached  himself  from  the  crowd  below,  and 
had  mounted  the  rear  of  the  pi-pi  upon  which  we  stood.  His 
cheek  had  been  pierced  by  the  point  of  a  spear,  and  the  wound 
imparted  a  still  more  frightful  expression  to  his  hideously  tattooed 
face,  already  deformed  by  the  loss  of  an  eye.  The  warrior, 


300  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.      [CHAP.  xxxn. 


without  uttering  a  syllable,  pointed  fiercely  in  the  direction  of 
Marheyo's  house,  while  Kory-Kory,  at  the  same  time  presenting 
his  back,  desired  me  to  mount. 

I  declined  this  offer,  but  intimated  my  willingness  to  withdraw, 
and  moved  slowly  along  the  piazza,  wondering  what  could  be  the 
cause  of  this  unusual  treatment.  A  few  minutes'  consideration 
convinced  rne  that  the  savages  were  about  to  celebrate  some 
hideous  rite  in  connection  with  their  peculiar  customs,  and  at 
which  they  were  determined  I  should  not  be  present.  I  de 
scended  from  the  pi-pi,  and  attended  by  Kory-Kory,  who  on  this 
occasion  did  not  show  his  usual  commiseration  for  my  lameness, 
but  seemed  only  anxious  to  hurry  me  on,  walked  away  from  the 
place.  As  I  passed  through  the  noisy  throng,  which  by  this  time 
completely  environed  the  Ti,  I  looked  with  fearful  curiosity  at 
the  three  packages,  which  now  were  deposited  upon  the  ground  ; 
but  although  I  had  no  doubt  as  to  their  contents,  still  their  thick 
coverings  prevented  my  actually  detecting  the  form  of  a  human 
body. 

The  next  morning,  shortly  after  sunrise,  the  same  thundering 
sounds  which  had  awakened  me  from  sleep  on  the  second  day  of 
the  Feast  of  Calabashes,  assured  me  that  the  savages  were  on  the 
eve  of  celebrating  another,  and,  as  I  fully  believed,  a  horrible 
solemnity. 

All  the  inmates  of  the  house,  with  the  exception  of  Marheyo, 
his  son,  and  Tinor,  after  assuming  their  gala  dresses,  departed  in 
the  direction  of  the  Taboo  Groves. 

Although  I  did  not  anticipate  a  compliance  with  my  request, 
still,  with  a  view  of  testing  the  truth  of  my  suspicions,  I  proposed 
to  Kory-Kory  that,  according  to  our  usual  custom  in  the  morning, 
we  should  take  a  stroll  to  the  Ti :  he  positively  refused ;  and 
when  I  renewed  the  request,  he  evinced  his  determination  to 
prevent  my  going  there  ;  and,  to  divert  my  mind  from  the  sub 
ject,  he  offered  to  accompany  me  to  the  stream.  We  accordingly 


CHAP,  xxxii.]  VISIT  THE  TI.  301 

went,  and  bathed.  On  our  coming  back  to  the  house,  I  was  sur 
prised  to  find  that  all  its  inmates  had  returned,  and  were  loung 
ing  upon  the  mats  as  usual,  although  the  drums  still  sounded 
from  the  groves. 

The  rest  of  the  day  I  spent  with  Kory-Kory  and  Fayaway, 
wandering  about  a  part  of  the  valley  situated  in  an  opposite  di 
rection  from  the  Ti,  and  whenever  I  so  much  as  looked  towards 
that  building,  although  it  was  hidden  from  view  by  intervening 
trees,  and  at  the  distance  of  more  than  a  mile,  my  attendant  would 
exclaim,  "  taboo,  taboo  !  " 

At  the  various  houses  where  we  stopped,  I  found  many  of  the 
inhabitants  reclining  at  their  ease,  or  pursuing  some  light  occu 
pation,  as  if  nothing  unusual  were  going  forward  ;  but  amongst 
them  all  I  did  not  perceive  a  single  chief  or  warrior.  When  I 
asked  several  of  the  people  why  they  were  not  at  the  "  Hoolah 
Hoolah  "  (the  feast),  they  uniformly  answered  the  question  in  a 
manner  which  implied  that  it  was  not  intended  for  them,  but  for 
Mehevi,  Narmonee,  Mow-Mow,  Kolor,  Womonoo,  Kalow,  running 
over,  in  their  desire  to  make  me  comprehend  their  meaning,  the 
names  of  all  the  principal  chiefs. 

Everything,  in  short,  strengthened  my  suspicions  with  regard 
to  the  nature  of  the  festival  they  were  now  celebrating ;  and  which 
amounted  almost  to  a  certainty.  While  in  Nukuheva  I  had  fre 
quently  been  informed  that  the  whole  tribe  were  never  present  at 
these  cannibal  banquets,  but  the  chiefs  and  priests  only  j  and  every, 
thing  I  now  observed  agreed  with  the  account. 

The  sound  of  the  drums  continued  without  intermission  the 
whole  day,  and  falling  continually  upon  my  ear,  caused  me  a 
sensation  of  horror  which  I  am  unable  to  describe.  On  the  fol 
lowing  day,  hearing  none  of  those  noisy  indications  of  revelry,  I 
concluded  that  the  inhuman  feast  was  terminated ;  and  feeling  a 
kind  of  morbid  curiosity  to  discover  whether  the  Ti  might  furnish 
any  evidence  of  what  had  taken  place  there,  I  proposed  to  Kory- 


302  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP.  xxxn. 

Kory  to  walk  there.  To  this  proposition  he  replied  by  pointing 
with  his  finger  to  the  newly  risen  sun,  and  then  up  to  the  zenith, 
intimating  that  our  visit  must  be  deferred  until  noon.  Shortly 
after  that  hour  we  accordingly  proceeded  to  the  Taboo  Groves, 
and  as  soon  as  we  entered  their  precincts,  I  looked  fearfully  round 
in  quest  of  some  memorial  of  the  scene  which  had  so  lately  been 
acted  there ;  but  everything  appeared  as  usual.  On  reaching  the 
Ti,  we  found  Mehevi  and  a  few  chiefs  reclining  on  the  mats,  who 
gave  me  as  friendly  a  reception  as  ever.  No  allusions  of  any 
kind  were  made  by  them  to  the  recent  events  ;  and  I  refrained, 
for  obvious  reasons,  from  referring  to  them  myself. 

After  staying  a  short  time  I  took  my  leave.  In  passing  along 
the  piazza,  previously  to  descending  from  the  pi-pi,  I  observed  a 
curiously  carved  vessel  of  wood,  of  considerable  size,  with  a  cover 
placed  over  it,  of  the  same  material,  and  which  resembled  in  shape 
a  small  canoe.  It  was  surrounded  by  a  low  railing  of  bamboos, 
the  top  of  which  was  scarcely  a  foot  from  the  ground.  As  the 
vessel  had  been  placed  in  its  present  position  since  my  last  visit, 
I  at  once  concluded  that  it  must  have  some  connection  with  the 
recent  festival ;  and,  prompted  by  a  curiosity  I  could  not  repress, 
in  passing  it  I  raised  one  end  of  the  cover ;  at  the  same  moment 
the  chiefs,  perceiving  my  design,  loudly  ejaculated,  "Taboo! 
taboo  !"  But  the  slight  glimpse  sufficed  ;  my  eyes  fell  upon  the 
disordered  members  of  a  human  skeleton,  the  bones  still  fresh 
with  moisture,  and  with  particles  of  flesh  clinging  to  them  here 
and  there  ! 

Kory-Kory,  who  had  been  a  little  in  advance  of  me,  attracted 
by  the  exclamations  of  the  chiefs,  turned  round  in  time  to  wit 
ness  the  expression  of  horror  on  my  countenance.  He  now 
hurried  towards  me,  pointing  at  the  same  time  to  the  canoe,  and 
exclaiming  rapidly,  "  Puarkee  !  puarkee  !"  (Pig,  pig).  I  pre 
tended  to  yield  to  the  deception,  and  repeated  the  words  after  him 
several  times,  as  though  acquiescing  in  what  he  said.  The  other 


CHAP,  xxxn.]  ANXIOUS  TO  ESCAPE.  303 

savages,  either  deceived  by  my  conduct  or  unwilling  to  manifest 
their  displeasure  at  what  could  not  now  be  remedied,  took  no 
further  notice  of  the  occurrence,  and  I  immediately  left  the  Ti. 

All  that  night  I  lay  awake,  revolving  in  my  mind  the  fearful 
situation  in  which  I  was  placed.  The  last  horrid  revelation  had 
now  been  made,  and  the  full  sense  of  my  condition  rushed  upon 
my  mind  with  a  force  I  had  never  before  experienced. 

Where,  thought  I,  desponding,  is  there  the  slightest  prospect 
of  escape  ?  The  only  person  who  seemed  to  possess  the  ability  to 
assist  me  was  the  stranger  Marnoo ;  but  would  he  ever  return  to 
the  valley  ?  and  if  he  did,  should  I  be  permitted  to  hold  any 
communication  with  him  ?  It  seemed  as  if  I  were  cut  off  from 
every  source  of  hope,  and  that  nothing  remained  but  passively  to 
await  whatever  fate  was  in  store  for  me.  A  thousand  times  I 
endeavored  to  account  for  the  mysterious  conduct  of  the  natives. 
For  what  conceivable  purpose  did  they  thus  retain  me  a  captive  ? 
What  could  be  their  object  in  treating  me  with  such  apparent 
kindness,  and  did  it  not  cover  some  treacherous  scheme  ?  Or,  if 
they  had  no  other  design  than  to  hold  me  a  prisoner,  how  should  I 
be  able  to  pass  away  my  days  in  this  narrow  valley,  deprived 
of  all  intercourse  with  civilized  beings,  and  for  ever  separated 
from  friends  and  home  ? 

One  only  hope  remained  to  me.  The  French  could  not  long 
defer  a  visit  to  the  bay,  and  if  they  should  permanently  locate 
any  of  their  troops  in  the  valley,  the  savages  could  not  for  any 
length  of  time  conceal  my  existence  from  them.  But  what  rea 
son  had  I  to  suppose  that  I  should  be  spared  until  such  an  event 
occurred,  an  event  which  might  be  postponed  by  a  hundred 
different  contingencies  ? 


304  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.       [CHAP,  xxxin. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

The  Stranger  again  arrives  in  the  Valley — Singular  Interview  with  him — 
Attempt  to  Escape— Failure— Melancholy  Situation — Sympathy  of  Mar- 
heyo. 

"  MARNOO,  Marnoo  pemi !"  Such  were  the  welcome  sounds 
which  fell  upon  my  ear  some  ten  days  after  the  events  related  in 
the  preceding  chapter.  Once  more  the  approach  of  the  stranger 
was  heralded,  and  the  intelligence  operated  upon  me  like  magic. 
Again  I  should  be  able  to  converse  with  him  in  my  own  language ; 
and  I  resolved  at  all  hazards  to  concert  with  him  some  scheme, 
however  desperate,  to  rescue  .me  from  a  condition  that  had  now 
become  insupportable. 

As  he  drew  near,  I  remembered  with  many  misgivings  the 
inauspicious  termination  of  our  former  interview  ;  and  when  he 
entered  the  house,  I  watched  with  intense  anxiety  the  reception 
he  met  with  from  its  inmates.  To  my  joy,  his  appearance  was 
hailed  with  the  liveliest  pleasure  ;  and  accosting  me  kindly,  he 
seated  himself  by  my  side,  and  entered  into  conversation  with  the 
natives  around  him.  It  soon  appeared,  however,  that  on  this 
occasion  he  had  not  any  intelligence  of  importance  to  communi 
cate.  I  inquired  of  him  from  whence  he  had  last  come  ?  He 
replied  from  Pueearka,  his  native  valley,  and  that  he  intended  to 
return  to  it  the  same  day. 

At  once  it  struck  me  that,  could  I  but  reach  that  valley  under 
his  protection,  I  might  easily  from  thence  reach  Nukuheva  by 
water;  and  animated  by  the  prospect  which  this  plan  held  out 
I  disclosed  it  in  a  few  brief  words  to  the  stranger,  and  asked 
him  how  it  could  be  best  accomplished.  My  heart  sunk  within 


CHAP,  xxxm.]  INTERVIEW  WITH  MARNOO.  305 

me  when  in  his  broken  English  he  answered  me  that  it  could 
never  be  effected.  "  Kannaka  no  let  you  go  nowhere,"  he  said ; 
"  you  taboo.  Why  you  no  like  to  stay  ?  Plenty  moee-moee 
(sleep) — plenty  ki-ki  (eat) — plenty  whihenee  (young  girls) — 
Oh,  very  good  place  Typee  f  Suppose  you  no  like  this  bay, 
why  you  come  ?  You  no  hear  about  Typee  ?  All  white  men 
afraid  Typee,  so  no  white  men  come." 

These  words  distressed  me  beyond  belief;  and  when  I  again 
related  to  him  the  circumstances  under  which  I  had  descended 
into  the  valley,  and  sought  to  enlist  his  sympathies  in  my  behalf 
by  appealing  to  the  bodily  misery  I  endured,  he  listened  to  me 
with  impatience,  and  cut  me  short  by  exclaiming  passionately, 
"  Me  no  hear  you  talk  any  more ;  by  by  Kannaka  get  mad,  kill 
you  and  me  too.  No  you  see  he  no  want  you  to  speak  to  me 
at  all  ?— you  see — ah !  by  by  you  no  mind — you  get  well,  he 
kill  you,  eat  you,  hang  you  head  up  there,  like  Happar  Kan 
naka. — Now  you  listen — but  no  talk  any  more.  By  by  I  go ; — 
you  see  way  I  go. — Ah !  then  some  night  Kannaka  all  moee- 
moee  (sleep) — you  run  away,  you  come  Pueearka.  I  speak 
Pueearka  Kannaka — he  no  harm  you — ah  !  then  I  take  you  my 
canoe  Nukuheva — and  you  no  run  away  ship  no  more."  With 
these  words,  enforced  by  a  vehemence  of  gesture  I  cannot  de- 
cribe,  Marnoo  started  from  my  side,  and  immediately  engaged  in 
conversation  with  some  of  the  chiefs  who  had  entered  the  house. 

It  would  have  been  idle  for  me  to  have  attempted  resuming  the 
interview  so  peremptorily  terminated  by  Marnoo,  who  was  evU 
dently  little  disposed  to  compromise  his  own  safety  by 'any  rash 
endeavors  to  ensure  mine.  But  the  plan  he  had  suggested  struck 
me  as  one  which  might  possibly  be  accomplished,  and  I  resolved 
to  act  upon  it  as  speedily  as  possible. 

Accordingly,  when  he  arose  to  depart,  I  accompanied  him  with 
the  natives  outside  of  the  house,  with  a  view  of  carefully  noting 
the  path  he  would  take  in  leaving  the  valley.  Just  before  leap- 


306  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.     [CHAP.  xxxm. 

ing  from  the  pi-pi  he  clasped  my  hand,  and  looking  significantly 
at  me,  exclaimed,  "Now  you  see — you  do  what  I  tell  you — ah! 
then  you  do  good  ; — you  no  do  so— ah  !  then  you  die."  The  next 
moment  he  waved  his  spear  in  adieu  to  the  islanders,  and  follow 
ing  the  route  that  conducted  to  a  defile  in  the  mountains  lying 
opposite  the  Happar  side,  was  soon  out  of  sight. 

A  mode  of  escape  was  now  presented  to  me,  but  how  was  I  to 
avail  myself  of  it  ?  I  was  continually  surrounded  by  the  savages; 
I  could  not  stir  from  one  house  to  another  without  being  attended 
by  some  of  them ;  and  even  during  the  hours  devoted  to  slumber, 
the  slightest  movement  which  I  made  seemed  to  attract  the  notice 
of  those  who  shared  the  mats  with  me.  In  spite  of  these  obstacles, 
however,  I  determined  forthwith  to  make  the  attempt.  To  do  so 
with  any  prospect  of  success,  it  was  necessary  that  I  should  have 
at  least  two  hours  start  before  the  islanders  should  discover  my 
absence  ;  for  with  such  facility  was  any  alarm  spread  through 
the  valley,  and  so  familiar,  of  course,  were  the  inhabitants  with 
the  intricacies  of  the  groves,  that  I  could  not  hope,  lame  and  fee 
ble  as  I  was,  and  ignorant  of  the  route,  to  secure  my  escape  unless 
I  had  this  advantage.  It  was  also  by  night  alone  that  I  could 
hope  to  accomplish  my  object,  and  then  only  by  adopting  the  ut 
most  precaution. 

The  entrance  to  Marheyo's  habitation  was  through  a  low  nar 
row  opening  in  its  wicker-work  front.  This  passage,  for  no  con 
ceivable  reason  that  I  could  devise,  was  always  closed  after  the 
household  had  retired  to  rest,  by  drawing  a  heavy  slide  across  it, 
composed  of  a  dozen  or  more  bits  of  wood,  ingeniously  fastened 
together  by  seizings  of  sinnate.  When  any  of  the  inmates  chose 
to  go  outside,  the  noise  occasioned  by  the  removing  of  this  rude 
door  awakened  everybody  else ;  and  on  more  than  one  occasion  I 
had  remarked  that  the  islanders  were  nearly  as  irritable  as  more 
civilized  beings  under  similar  circumstances. 

The  difficulty  thus  placed  in  my  way  I  determined  to  obviate 


CHAP,  xxxm.]  MELANCHOLY  SITUATION.  307 

in  the  following  manner.  I  would  get  up  boldly  in  the  course  of 
the  night,  and  drawing  the  slide,  issue  from  the  house,  and  pre 
tend  that  my  object  was  merely  to  procure  a  drink  from  the  cala 
bash,  which  always  stood  without  the  dwelling  on  the  corner  of 
the  pi-pi.  On  re-entering  I  would  purposely  omit  closing  the 
passage  after  me,  and  trusting  that  the  indolence  of  the  savages 
would  prevent  them  from  repairing  my  neglect,  would  return  to 
my  mat,  and  waiting  patiently  until  all  were  again  asleep,  I  would 
then  steal  forth,  and  at  once  take  the  route  to  Pueearka. 

The  very  night  which  followed  Marnoo's  departure,  I  pro 
ceeded  to  put  this  project  into  execution.  About  midnight,  as  I 
imagined,  I  arose  and  drew  the  slide.  The  natives,  just  as  I  had 
expected,  started  up,  while  some  of  them  asked,  "  Arware  poo 
awa,  Tommo  ?"  (where  are  you  going,  Tommo  ?)  "  Wai " 
(water)  I  laconically  answered,  grasping  the  calabash.  On 
hearing  my  reply  they  sank  back  again,  and  in  a  minute  or  two 
J  returned  to  my  mat,  anxiously  awaiting  the  result  of  the  ex 
periment. 

One  after  another  the  savages,  turning  restlessly,  appeared  to 
resume  their  slumbers,  and  rejoicing  at  the  stillness  which  pre 
vailed,  I  was  about  to  rise  again  from  my  couch,  when  I  heard  a 
slight  rustling — a  dark  form  was  intercepted  between  me  and  the 
doorway — the  slide  was  drawn  across  it,  and  the  individual,  who 
ever  he  was,  returned  to  his  mat.  This  was  a  sad  blow  to  me  ; 
but  as  it  might  have  aroused  the  suspicions  of  the  islanders  to 
have  made  another  attempt  that  night,  I  was  reluctantly  obliged  to 
defer  it  until  the  next.  Several  times  after  I  repeated  the  same 
manoeuvre,  but  with  as  little  success  as  before.  As  my  pretence 
for  withdrawing  from  the  house  was  to  allay  my  thirst,  Kory- 
Kory,  either  suspecting  some  design  on  my  part,  or  else  prompted 
by  a  desire  to  please  me,  regularly  every  evening  placed  a  cala 
bash  of  water  by  my  side. 

Even  under  these  inauspicious  circumstances  I  again  and  again 


308  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.      [CHAP.  xxxm. 

renewed  the  attempt ;  but  when  I  did  so,  my  valet  always  rose 
with  me,  as  if  determined  I  should  not  remove  myself  from  his 
observation.  For  the  present,  therefore,  I  was  obliged  to  abandon 
the  attempt ;  but  I  endeavored  to  console  myself  with  the  idea  that 
by  this  mode  I  might  yet  effect  my  escape. 

Shortly  after  Marnoo's  visit  I  was  reduced  to  such  a  state,  that 
it  was  with  extreme  difficulty  I  could  walk,  even  with  the  assist 
ance  of  a  spear,  and  Kory-Kory,  as  formerly,  was  obliged  to  carry 
me  daily  to  the  stream. 

For  hours  and  hours  during  the  warmest  part  of  the  day  I  lay 
upon  my  mat,  and  while  those  around  me  were  nearly  all  dozing 
away  in  careless  ease,  I  remained  awake,  gloomily  pondering 
over  the  fate  which  it  appeared  now  idle  for  me  to  resist,  when  I 
thought  of  the  loved  friends  who  were  thousands  and  thousands 
of  miles  from  the  savage  island  in  which  I  was  held  a  captive, 
when  I  reflected  that  my  dreadful  fate  would  for  ever  be  con 
cealed  from  them,  and  that  with  hope  deferred  they  might  con 
tinue  to  await  my  return  long  after  my  inanimate  form  had 
blended  with  the  dust  of  the  valley — I  could  not  repress  a  shud 
der  of  anguish. 

How  vividly  is  impressed  upon  my  mind  every  minute  feature 
of  the  scene  which  met  my  view  during  those  long  days  of  suf 
fering  and  sorrow.  At  my  request  my  mats  were  always  spread 
directly  facing  the  door,  opposite  which,  and  at  a  little  distance, 
was  the  hut  of  boughs  that  Marheyo  was  building. 

Whenever  my  gentle  Fayaway  and  Kory-Kory,  laying  them 
selves  down  beside  me,  would  leave  me  awhile  to  uninterrupted 
repose,  I  took  a  strange  interest  in  the  slightest  movements  of  the 
eccentric  old  warrior.  All  alone  during  the  stillness  of  the  tro 
pical  mid-day,  he  would  pursue  his  quiet  work,  sitting  in  the 
shade  and  weaving  together  the  leaflets  of  his  cocoa-nut  branches, 
or  rolling  upon  his  knee  the  twisted  fibres  of  bark  to  form  the 
cords  with  which  he  tied  together  the  thatching  of  his  tiny  house. 


CHAP,  xxxin.]  SOLITARY  MUSINGS.  309 

Frequently  suspending  his  employment,  and  noticing  my  melan 
choly  eye  fixed  upon  him,  he  would  raise  his  hand  with  a  gesture 
expressive  of  deep  commiseration,  and  then  moving  towards  me 
slowly,  would  enter  on  tip-toes,  fearful  of  disturbing  the  slumber 
ing  natives,  and,  taking  the  fan  from  my  hand,  would  sit  before 
me,  swaying  it  gently  to  and  fro,  and  gazing  earnestly  into  my 
face. 

Just  beyond  the  pi-pi,  and  disposed  in  a  triangle  before  the 
entrance  of  the  house,  were  three  magnificent  bread-fruit  trees. 
At  this  moment  I  can  recal  to  my  mind  their  slender  shafts,  and 
the  graceful  inequalities  of  their  bark,  on  which  my  eye  was 
accustomed  to  dwell  day  after  day  in  the  midst  of  my  solitary 
musings.  It  is  strange  how  inanimate  objects  will  twine  them 
selves  into  our  affections,  especially  in  the  hour  of  affliction. 
Even  now,  amidst  all  the  bustle  and  stir  of  the  proud  and  busy 
city  in  which  I  am  dwelling,  the  image  of  those  three  trees  seems 
to  come  as  vividly  before  my  eyes  as  if  they  were  actually  pre 
sent,  and  I  still  feel  the  soothing  quiet  pleasure  which  I  then  had 
in  watching  hour  after  hour  their  topmost  boughs  waving  grace 
fully  in  the  breeze. 


310  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.     [CHAP,  xatnv. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 
The  Escape. 

NEARLY  three  weeks  had  elapsed  since  the  second  visit  of  Marnoo, 
and  it  must  have  been  more  than  four  months  since  I  entered  the 
valley,  when  one  day  about  noon,  and  whilst  everything  was  in 
profound  silence,  Mow- Mow,  the  one-eyed  chie£  suddenly  appeared 
at  the  door,  and  leaning  forward  towards  me  as  I  lay  directly 
facing  him,  said  in  a  low  tone,  "  Toby  pemi  ena"  (Toby  has  ar 
rived  here).  Gracious  heaven !  What  a  tumult  of  emotions 
rushed  upon  me  at  this  startling  intelligence  !  Insensible  to  the 
pain  that  had  before  distracted  me,  I  leaped  to  my  feet,  and  called 
wildly  to  Kory-Kory  who  was  reposing  by  my  side.  The  startled 
islanders  sprang  from  their  mats ;  the  news  was  quickly  com 
municated  to  them  ;  and  the  next  moment  I  was  making  my  way 
to  the  Ti  on  the  back  of  Kory-Kory,  and  surrounded  by  the  excited 
savages. 

All  that  I  could  comprehend  of  the  particulars  which  Mow-Mow 
rehearsed  to  his  auditors  as  we  proceeded,  was  that  my  long-lost 
companion  had  arrived  in  a  boat  which  had  just  entered  the  bay. 
These  tidings  made  me  most  anxious  to  be  carried  at  once  to  the 
sea,  lest  some  untoward  circumstance  should  prevent  our  meeting ; 
but  to  this  they  would  not  consent,  and  continued  their  course 
towards  the  royal  abode.  As  we  approached  it,  Mehevi  and 
several  chiefs  showed  themselves  from  the  piazza,  and  called  upon 
us  loudly  to  come  to  them. 

As  soon  as  we  had  approached,  I  endeavored  to  make  them 
understand  that  I  was  going  down  to  the  sea  to  meet  Toby.  To 


CHAP,  xxxiv.]  THE  ESCAPE.  311 

this  the  king  objected,  and  motioned  Kory-Kory  to  bring  me  into 
the  house.  It  was  in  vain  to  resist;  and  in  a  few  moments  I  found 
myself  within  the  Ti,  surrounded  by  a  noisy  group  engaged  in 
discussing  the  recent  intelligence.  Toby's  name  was  frequently 
repeated,  coupled  with  violent  exclamations  of  astonishment.  It 
seemed  as  if  they  yet  remained  in  doubt  with  regard  to  the  fact 
of  his  arrival,  and  at  every  fresh  report  that  was  brought  from  the 
shore  they  betrayed  the  liveliest  emotions. 

Almost  frenzied  at  being  held  in  this  state  of  suspense,  I  pas 
sionately  besought  Mehevi  to  permit  me  to  proceed.  Whether 
my  companion  had  arrived  or  not,  I  felt  a  presentiment  that  my 
own  fate  was  about  to  be  decided.  Again  and  again  I  renewed 
my  petition  to  Mehevi.  He  regarded  me  with  a  fixed  and  serious 
eye,  but  at  length  yielding  to  my  importunity,  reluctantly  granted 
my  request. 

Accompanied  by. some  fifty  of  the  natives,  I  now  rapidly  con 
tinued  my  journey  ;  every  few  moments  being  transferred  from 
the  back  of  one  to  another,  and  urging  my  bearer  forward  all  the 
while  with  earnest  entreaties.  As  I  thus  hurried  forward,  no  doubt 
as  to  the  truth  of  the  information  I  had  received  ever  crossed  niy 
mind.  I  was  alive  only  to  the  one  overwhelming  idea,  that  a 
chance  of  deliverance  was  now  afforded  me,  if  the  jealous  op 
position  of  the  savages  could  be  overcome. 

Having  been  prohibited  from  approaching  the  sea  during  the 
whole  of  my  stay  in  the  valley,  I  had  always  associated  with  it 
the  idea  of  escape.  Toby  too— if  indeed  he  had  ever  voluntarily 
deser:ed  me — must  have  effected  his  flight  by  the  sea ;  and  now 
that  I  was  drawing  near  to  it  myself,  I  indulged  in  hopes  which 
I  had  never  felt  before.  It  was  evident  that  a  boat  had  entered  the 
bay,  and  I  saw  little  reason  to  doubt  the  truth  of  the  report 
that  it  had  brought  my  companion.  Every  time  therefore  that 
we  gained  an  elevation,  I  looked  eagerly  around,  hoping  to  behold 
him. 


312  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.      [CHAP,  xxxiv 


In  the  midst  of  an  excited  throng,  who  by  their  violent  gestures 
and  wild  cries  appeared  to  be  under  the  influence  of  some  excite- 
ment  as  strong  as  my  own,  I  was  now  borne  along  at  a  rapid  trot, 
frequently  stooping  my  head  to  avoid  the  branches  which  crossed 
the  path,  and  never  ceasing  to  implore  those  who  carried  me  to 
accelerate  their  already  swift  pace. 

In  this  manner  we  had  proceeded  about  four  or  five  miles,  when 
we  were  met  by  a  party  of  some  twenty  islanders,  between  whom 
and  those  who  accompanied  me  ensued  an  animated  conference. 
Impatient  of  the  delay  occasioned  by  this  interruption,  I  was  be- 
seeching  the  man  who  carried  me  to  proceed  without  his  loitering 
companions,  when  Kory-Kory,  running  to  my  side,  informed  me, 
in  three  fatal  words,  that  the  news  had  all  proved  false — that  Toby 
had  not  arrived — "  Toby  owlee  permi."  Heaven  only  knows  how, 
in  the  state  of  mind  and  body  I  then  was,  I  ever  sustained  the 
agony  which  this  intelligence  caused  me  ;  not  that  the  news  was 
altogether  unexpected  ;  but  I  had  trusted  that  the  fact  might  not 
have  been  made  known  until  we  should  have  arrived  upon  the 
beach.  As  it  was,  I  at  once  foresaw  the  course  the  savages  would 
pursue.  They  had  only  yielded  thus  far.  to  my  entreaties,  that  I 
might  give  a  joyful  welcome  to  my  long-lost  comrade ;  but  now 
that  it  was  known  he  had  riot  arrived,  they  would  at  once  oblige 
me  to  turn  back. 

My  anticipations  were  but  too  correct.  In  spite  of  the  resist 
ance  I  made,  they  carried  me  into  a  house  which  was  near  the 
spot,  and  left  me  upon  the  mats.  Shortly  afterwards  several  of 
those  who  had  accompanied  me  from  the  Ti,  detaching  themselves 
from  the  others,  proceeded  in  the  direction  of  the  sea.  Those 
who  remained — among  whom  were  Marheyo,  Mow-Mow,  Kory- 
Kory,  and  Tinor — gathered  about  the  dwelling,  and  appeared  to  be 
awaiting  their  return. 

This  convinced  me  that  strangers — perhaps  some  of  my  own 
countrymen — had  for  some  cause  or  other  entered  the  bay. 


CHAP,  xxxiv.]  THE  ESCAPE.  313 


Distracted  at  the  idea  of  their  vicinity,  and  reckless  of  the  pain 
which  I  suffered,  I  heeded  not  the  assurances  of  the  islanders,  that 
there  were  no  boats  at  the  beach,  but  starting  to  my  feet  endeavored 
to  gain  the  door.  Instantly  the  passage  was  blocked  up  by  several 
men,  who  commanded  me  to  resume  my  seat.  The  fierce  looks 
of  the  irritated  savages  admonished  me  that  I  could  gain  nothing 
by  force,  and  that  it  was  by  entreaty  alone  that  I  could  hope  to 
compass  my  object. 

Guided  by  this  consideration,  I  turned  to  Mow-Mow,  the  only 
chief  present  whom  I  had  been  much  in  the  habit  of  seeing,  and 
carefully  concealing  my  real  design,  tried  to  make  him  compre 
hend  that  I  still  believed  Toby  to  have  arrived  on  the  shore,  and 
besought  him  to  allow  me  to  go  forward  to  welcome  him.  To  all 
his  repeated  assertions,  that  my  companion  had  not  been  seen,  1 
pretended  to  turn  a  deaf  ear :  while  I  urged  my  solicitations  with 
an  eloquence  of  gesture  which  the  one-eyed  chief  appeared  un 
able  to  resist.  He  seemed  indeed  to  regard  me  as  a  froward  child, 
to  whose  wishes  he  had  not  the  heart  to  oppose  force,  and  whom 
he  must  consequently  humor.  He  spoke  a  few  words  to  the  natives, 
who  at  once  retreated  from  the  door,  and  I  immediately  passed  out 
of  the  house. 

Here  I  looked  earnestly  round  for  Kory-Kory  ;  but  that  hitherto 
faithful  servitor  was  nowhere  to  be  seen.  Unwilling  to  linger 
even  for  a  single  instant  when  every  moment  might  be  so  im 
portant,  I  motioned  to  a  muscular  fellow  near  me  to  take  me 
upon  his  back :  to  my  surprise  he  angrily  refused.  I  turned  to 
another,  but  with  a  like  result.  A  third  attempt  was  as  unsuc 
cessful,  and  I  immediately  perceived  what  had  induced  Mow- 
Mow  to  grant  my  request,  and  why  the  other  natives  conducted 
themselves  in  so  strange  a  manner.  It  was  evident  that  the  chief 
had  only  given  me  liberty  to  continue  my  progress  towards  the 
sea,  because  he  supposed  that  I  was  deprived  of  the  means  of 
reaching  it. 


314  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.      [CHAP,  xxxiv. 


Convinced  by  this  of  their  determination  to  retain  me  a  captive, 
1  became  desperate ;  and  almost  insensible  to  the  pain  which  I 
suffered,  I  seized  a  spear  which  was  leaning  against  the  projecting 
eaves  of  the  house,  and  supporting  myself  with  it,  resumed  the 
path  that  swept  by  the  dwelling.  To  my  surprise,  I  was  suffered 
to  proceed  alone ;  all  the  natives  remaining  in  front  of  the  house, 
and  engaging  in  earnest  conversation,  which  every  moment  became 
more  loud  and  vehement ;  and  to  my  unspeakable  delight  I  per- 
ceived  that  some  difference  of  opinion  had  arisen  between  them  ; 
that  two  parties,  in  short,  were  formed,  and  consequently  that  in 
their  divided  counsels  there  was  some  chance  of  my  deliverance. 

Before  I  had  proceeded  a  hundred  yards  I  was  again  surrounded 
by  the  savages,  who  were  still  in  all  the  heat  of  argument,  and 
appeared  every  moment  as  if  they  would  come  to  blows.  In  the 
midst  of  this  tumult  old  Marheyo  came  to  my  side,  and  I  shall 
never  forget  the  benevolent  expression  of  his  countenance.  He 
placed  his  arm  upon  my  shoulder,  and  emphatically  pronounced 
the  only  two  English  words  I  had  taught  him — "  Home  "  and 
"  Mother."  I  at  once  understood  what  he  meant,  and  eagerly 
expressed  my  thanks  to  him.  Fay  away  and  Kory-Kory  were  by 
his  side,  both  weeping  violently  ;  and  it  was  not  until  the  old  man 
had  twice  repeated  the  command  that  his  son  could  bring  himself 
to  obey  him,  and  take  me  again  upon  his  back.  The  one-eyed 
chief  opposed  his  doing  so,  but  he  was  overruled,  and,  as  it  seemed 
to  me,  by  some  of  his  own  party. 

We  proceeded  onwards,  and  never  shall  I  forget  the  ecstasy  I 
felt  when  I  first  heard  the  roar  of  the  surf  breaking  upon  the 
beach.  Before  long  I  saw  the  flashing  billows  themselves  through 
the  opening  between  the  trees.  Oh  glorious  sight  and  sound  of 
ocean  !  with  what  rapture  did  I  hail  you  as  familiar  friends !  By 
this  time  the  shouts  of  the  crowd  upon  the  beach  were  distinctly 
audible,  and  in  the  blended  confusion  of  sounds  I  almost  fancied  I 
could  distinguish  the  voices  of  my  own  countrymen. 


CHAP,  xxxiv.]  THE  ESCAPE.  315 

When  we  reached  the  open  space  which  lay  between  the 
groves  and  the  sea,  the  first  object  that  met  my  view  was  an 
English  whale-boat,  lying  with  her  bow  pointed  from  the  shore, 
and  only  a  few  fathoms  distant  from  it.  It  was  manned  by  five 
islanders,  dressed  in  short  tunics  of  calico.  My  first  impression 
was  that  they  were  in  the  very  act  of  pulling  out  from  the  bay ; 
and  that,  after  all  my  exertions,  I  had  come  too  late.  My  soul 
sunk  within  me  :  but  a  second  glance  convinced  me  that  the  boat 
was  only  hanging  off  to  keep  out  of  the  surf;  and  the  next 
moment  I  heard  my  own  name  shouted  out  by  a  voice  from  the 
midst  of  the  crowd. 

Looking  in  the  direction  of  the  sound,  I  perceived,  to  my  inde 
scribable  joy,  the  tall  figure  of  Karakoee,  an  Oahu  Kannaka,  who 
had  often  been  aboard  the  "  Dolly,"  while  she  lay  in  Nukuheva. 
He  wore  the  green  shooting-jacket  with  gilt  buttons,  which  had 
been  given  to  him  by  an  officer  of  the  Reine  Blanche — the  French 
flag-ship — and  in  which  I  had  always  seen  him  dressed.  I  now 
remembered  the  Kannaka  had  frequently  told  me  that  his 
person  was  tabooed  in  all  the  valleys  of  the  island,  and  the  sight 
of  him  at  such  a  moment  as  this  filled  my  heart  with  a  tumult  of 
delight. 

Karakoee  stood  near  the  edge  of  the  water  with  a  large  roll  of 
cotton-cloflv  thrown  over  one  arm,  and  holding  two  or  three  can 
vas  bags  of  powder,  while  with  the  other  hand  he  grasped  a 
musket,  which  he  appeared  to  be  proffering  to  several  of  the  chiefs 
around  him.  But  they  turned  with  disgust  from  his  offers,  and 
seemed  to  be  impatient  at  his  presence,  with  vehement  gestures 
waving  him  off  to  his  boat,  and  commanding  him  to  depart. 

The  Kannaka,  however,  still  maintained  his  ground,  and  I  at 
once  perceived  that  he  was  seeking  to  purchase  rny  freedom. 
Animated  by  the  idea,  I  called  upon  him  loudly  to  come  to  me  ; 
but  he  replied,  in  broken  English,  that  the  islanders  had  threat 
ened  to  pierce  him  with  their  spears,  if  he  stirred  a  foot  towards 


31*3  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.     [CHAP,  xxxiv. 

me.  At  this  time  I  was  still  advancing,  surrounded  by  a  dense 
throng  of  the  natives,  several  of  whom  had  their  hands  upon  me, 
and  more  than  one  javelin  was  threateningly  pointed  at  me. 
Still  I  perceived  clearly  that  many  of  those  least  friendly  towards 
me  looked  irresolute  and  anxious. 

I  was  still  some  thirty  yards  from  Karakoee  when  my  farther 
progress  was  prevented  by  the  natives,  who  compelled  me  to  sit 
down  upon  the  ground,  while  they  still  retained  their  hold  upon 
my  arms.  The  din  and  tumult  now  became  tenfold,  and  I  per 
ceived  that  several  of  the  priests  were  on  the  spot,  all  of  whom 
were  evidently  urging  Mow-Mow  and  the  other  chiefs  to  prevent 
my  departure  ;  and  the  detestable  word  "  Roo-ne !  Roo-ne  !" 
which  I  had  heard  repeated  a  thousand  times  during  the  day,  was 
now  shouted  out  on  every  side  of  me.  Still  I  saw  that  the 
Kannaka  continued  his  exertions  in  my  favor — that  he  was  boldly 
debating  the  matter  with  the  savages,  and  was  striving  to  entice 
them  by  displaying  his  cloth  and  powder,  and  snapping  the  lock 
of  his  musket.  But  all  he  said  or  did  appeared  only  to  augment 
the  clamors  of  those  around  him,  who  seemed  bent  upon  driving 
him  into  the  sea. 

When  I  remembered  the  extravagant  value  placed  by  these 
people  upon  the  articles  which  were  offered  to  them  in  exchange 
for  me,  and  which  were  so  indignantly  rejected,  I  saw  a  new 
proof  of  the  same  fixed  determination  of  purpose  they  had  all 
along  manifested  with  regard  to  me,  and  in  despair,  and  reckless 
of  consequences,  I  exerted  all  my  strength,  and  shaking  myself 
free  from  the  grasp  of  those  who  held  me,  I  sprang  upon  my  feet 
and  rushed  towards  Karakoee. 

The  rash  attempt  nearly  decided  my  fate  ;  for,  fearful  that  I 
might  slip  from  them,  several  of  the  islanders  now  raised  a  simul 
taneous  shout,  and  pressing  upon  Karakoee,  they  menaced  him 
with  furious  gestures,  and  actually  forced  him  into  the  sea. 
Appalled  at  their  violence,  the  poor  fellow,  standing  nearly  to  the 


CHAP,  xxxiv.]  THE  ESCAPE.  317 


waist  in  the  surf,  endeavored  to  pacify  them  ;  but  at  length,  fear 
ful  that  they  would  do  him  some  fatal  violence,  he  beckoned  to 
his  comrades  to  pull  in  at  once,  and  take  him  into  the  boat. 

It  was  at  this  agonizing  moment,  when  I  thought  all  hope  was 
ended,  that  a  new  contest  arose  between  the  two  parties  who  had 
accompanied  me  to  the  shore  ;  blows  were  struck,  wounds  were 
given,  and  blood  flowed.  In  the  interest  excited  by  the  fray, 
every  one  had  left  me  except  Marheyo,  Kory-Kory,  and  poor  dear 
Fayaway,  who  clung  to  me,  sobbing  indignantly.  I  saw  that  now 
or  never  was  the  moment.  Clasping  my  hands  together,  I  looked 
imploringly  at  Marheyo,  and  moved  towards  the  now  almost 
deserted  beach.  The  tears  were  in  the  old  man's  eyes,  but 
neither  he  nor  Kory-Kory  attempted  to  hold  me,  and  I  soon  reached 
the  Kannaka,  who  had  anxiously  watched  my  movements ;  the 
rowers  pulled  in  as  near  as  they  dared  to  the  edge  of  the  surf;  I 
gave  one  parting  embrace  to  Fayaway,  who  seemed  speechless 
with  sorrow,  and  the  next  instant  I  found  myself  safe  in  the  boat, 
and  Karakoee  by  my  side,  who  told  the  rowers  at  once  to  give 
way.  Marheyo  and  Kory-Kory,  and  a  great  many  of  the  women, 
followed  me  into  the  water,  and  I  was  determined,  as  the  only 
mark  of  gratitude  I  could  show,  to  give  them  the  articles  which 
had  been  brought  as  my  ransom.  I  handed  the  musket  to  Kory- 
Kory,  with  a  rapid  gesture  which  was  equivalent  to  a  "  Deed  of 
Gift ;"  threw  the  roll  of  cotton  to  old  Marheyo,  pointing  as  I  did 
so  to  poor  Fayaway,  who  had  retired  from  the  edge  of  the  water 
and  was  sitting  down  disconsolate  on  the  shingles  ;  and  tumbled 
the  powder-bags  out  to  the  nearest  young  ladies,  all  of  whom  were 
vastly  willing  to  take  them.  This  distribution  did  not  occupy  ten 
seconds,  and  before  it  was  over  the  boat  was  under  full  way  ;  the 
Kannaka  all  the  while  exclaiming  loudly  against  what  he  con 
sidered  a  useless  throwing  away  of  valuable  property. 

Although  it  was  clear  that  my  movements  had  been  noticed  by 
several  of  the  natives,  still  they  had  not  suspended  the  conflict  in 


318  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.      [CHAP,  xxxiv. 

which  they  were  engaged,  and  it  was  not  until  the  boat  was  above 
fifty  yards  from  the  shore  that  Mow-Mow  and  some  six  or  seven 
other  warriors  rushed  into  the  sea  and  hurled  their  javelins  at  us. 
Some  of  the  weapons  passed  quite  as  close  to  us  as  was  desirable, 
but  no  one  was  wounded,  and  the  men  pulled  away  gallantly, 
But  although  soon  out  of  the  reach  of  the  spears,  our  progress 
was  extremely  slow  ;  it  blew  strong  upon  the  shore,  and  the  tide 
was  against  us ;  and  I  saw  Karakoee,  who  was  steering  the  boat, 
give  many  a  look  towards  a  jutting  point  of  the  bay  round  which 
we  had  to  pass. 

For  a  minute  or  two  after  our  departure,  the  savages,  who  had 
formed  into  different  groops,  remained  perfectly  motionless  and 
silent.  All  at  once  the  enraged  chief  showed  by  his  gestures 
that  he  had  resolved  what  course  he  would  take.  Shouting  loudly 
to  his  companions,  and  pointing  with  his  tomahawk  towards  the 
headland,  he  set  off  at  full  speed  in  that  direction,  and  was 
followed  by  about  thirty  of  the  natives,  among  whom  were  several 
of  the  priests,  all  yelling  out  "  Roo-ne  !  Roo-ne  !"  at  the  very  top 
of  their  voices.  Their  intention  was  evidently  to  swim  off  from 
the  headland  and  intercept  us  in  our  course.  The  wind  was 
freshening  every  minute,  and  was  right  in  our  teeth,  and  it  was 
one  of  those  chopping  angry  seas  in  which  it  is  so  difficult  to  row. 
Still  the  chances  seemed  in  our  favor,  but  when  we  came  within  a 
hundred  yards  of  the  point,  the  active  savages  were  already  dash 
ing  into  the  water,  and  we  all  feared  that  within  five  minutes' 
time  we  should  have  a  score  of  the  infuriated  wretches  around  us. 
If  so  our  doom  was  sealed,  for  these  savages,  unlike  the  feeble 
swimmers  of  civilized  countries,  are,  if  anything,  more  formidable 
antagonists  in  the  water  than  when  on  the  land.  It  was  all  a  trial  of 
strength  ;  our  natives  pulled  till  their  oars  bent  again,  and  the 
crowd  of  swimmers  shot  through  the  water  despite  its  roughness, 
with  fearful  rapidity. 

By  the  time  we  had  reached  the  headland,  the  savages  were 


CHAP,  xxxiv.]  THE  ESCAPE.  319 


spread  right  across  our  course.  Our  rowers  got  out  their  knives 
and  held  them  ready  between  their  teeth,  and  I  seized  the  boat- 
hook.  We  were  all  aware  that  if  they  succeeded  in  intercepting 
us  they  would  practise  upon  us  the  manoeuvre  which  has  proved 
so  fatal  to  many  a  boat's  crew  in  these  seas.  They  would  grapple 
the  oars,  and  seizing  hold  of  the  gunwale,  capsize  the  boat,  and 
then  we  should  be  entirely  at  their  mercy. 

After  a  few  breathless  moments  I  discerned  Mow-Mow.  The 
athletic  islander,  with  his  tomahawk  between  his  teeth,  was 
dashing  the  water  before  him  till  it  foamed  again.  He  was  the 
nearest  to  us,  and  in  another  instant  he  would  have  seized  one  of 
the  oars.  Even  at  the  moment  I  felt  horror  at  the  act  I  was 
about  to  commit ;  but  it  was  no  time  for  pity  or  compunction,  and 
with  a  true  aim,  and  exerting  all  my  strength,  I  dashed  the  boat- 
hook  at  him.  It  struck  him  just  below  the  throat,  and  forced 
him  downwards.  I  had  no  time  to  repeat  the  blow,  but  I  saw  him 
rise  to  the  surface  in  the  wake  of  the  boat,  and  never  shall  I  for 
get  the  ferocious  expression  of  his  countenance. 

Only  one  other  of  the  savages  reached  the  boat.  He  seized 
the  gunwale,  but  the  knives  of  our  rowers  so  mauled  his  wrists, 
that  he  was  forced  to  quit  his  hold,  and  the  next  minute  we  were 
past  them  all,  and  in  safety.  The  strong  excitement  which  had 
thus  far  kept  me  up,  now  left  me,  and  I  fell  back  fainting  into  the 
arms  of  Karakoee. 

****** 

The  circumstances  connected  with  my  most  unexpected  escape 
may  be  very  briefly  stated.  The  captain  of  an  Australian  vessel, 
being  in  distress  for  men  in  these  remote  seas,  had  put  into  Nu- 
kuheva  in  order  to  recruit  his  ship's  company,  but  not  a  single 
man  was  to  be  obtained ;  and  the  barque  was  about  to  get  under 
weigh,  when  she  was  boarded  by  Karakoee,  who  informed  the 
disappointed  Englishman  that  an  American  sailor  was  detained  by 
the  savages  in  the  neighboring  bay  of  Typee ;  and  he  offered, 
15* 


320  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  MARQUESAS.     [CHAP,  xxxiv. 

if  supplied  with  suitable  articles  of  traffic,  to  undertake  his  re 
lease.  The  Kannaka  had  gained  his  intelligence  from  Marnoo,  to 
whom,  after  all,  I  was  indebted  for  my  escape.  The  proposition 
was  acceded  to;  and  Karakoee,  taking  with  him  five  tabooed 
natives  of  Nukuheva,  again  repaired  aboard  the  barque,  which  in 
a  few  hours  sailed  to  that  part  of  the  island,  and  threw  her  main 
top-sail  aback  right  off  the  entrance  to  the  Typee  bay.  The 
whale-boat,  manned  by  the  tabooed  crew,  pulled  towards  the 
head  of  the  inlet,  while  the  ship  lay  "  off  and  on  "  awaiting  its 
return. 

The  events  which  ensued  have  already  been  detailed,  and  little 
more  remains  to  be  related.  On  reaching  the  "  Julia  "  I  was 
lifted  over  the  side,  and  my  strange  appearance  and  remarkable 
adventure  occasioned  the  liveliest  interest.  Every  attention  was 
bestowed  upon  me  that  humanity  could  suggest.  But  to  such  a 
state  was  I  reduced,  that  three  months  elapsed  before  I  recovered 
my  health. 

The  mystery  which  hung  over  the  fate  of  my  friend  and  com 
panion  Toby  has  never  been  cleared  up.  I  still  remain  ignorant 
whether  he  succeeded  in  leaving  the  valley;  or  perished  at  the 
hands  of  the  islanders. 


• 
APPENDIX. 


THE  author  of  this  volume  arrived  at  Tahiti  the  very  day  that  the  iniquitous 
designs  of  the  French  were  consummated  by  inducing  the  subordinate 
chiefs,  during  the  absence  of  their  queen,  to  ratify  an  artfully  drawn  treaty, 
by  which  she  was  virtually  deposed.  Both  menaces  and  caresses  were 
employed  on  this  occasion,  and  the  32-pounders  which  peeped  out  of  the 
portholes  of  the  frigate  were  the  principal  arguments  adduced  to  quiet  the 
scruples  of  the  more  conscientious  islanders. 

And  yet  this  piratical  seizure  of  Tahiti,  with  all  the  woe  and  desolation 
which  resulted  from  it,  created  not  half  so  great  a  sensation,  at  least  in 
America,  as  was  caused  by  the  proceedings  of  the  English  at  the  Sandwich 
Islands.  No  transaction  has  ever  been  so  grossly  misrepresented  as  the 
events  which  occurred  upon  the  arrival  of  Lord  George  Paulet  at  Oahu. 
During  a  residence  of  four  months  at  Honolulu,  the  metropolis  of  the  group, 
the  author  was  in  the  confidence  of  an  Englishman  who  was  much  em 
ployed  by  his  lordship ;  and  great  was  the  author's  astonishment  on  his 
arrival  at  Boston,  in  the  autumn  of  1844,  to  read  the  distorted  accounts  and 
fabrications  which  had  produced  in  the  United  States  so  violent  an  out 
break  of  indignation  against  the  English.  He  deems  it,  therefore,  a  mere 
act  of  justice  towards  a  gallant  officer  briefly  to  state  the  leading  circum 
stances  connected  with  the  event  in  question. 

It  is  needless  to  rehearse  all  the  abuse  that  for  some  time  previous  to 
the  spring  of  1843  had  been  heaped  upon  the  British  residents,  especially 
upon  Captain  Charlton,  her  Britannic  Majesty's  consul-general,  by  the 
native  authorities  of  the  Sandwich  Islands.  High  in  the  favor  of  the  im 
becile  king  at  this  time  was  one  Dr.  Judd,  a  sanctimonious  apothecary- 
adventurer,  who,  with  other  kindred  and  influential  spirits,  were  animated 
by  an  inveterate  dislike  to  England.  The  ascendency  of  a  junto  of  ignorant 
and  designing  Methodist  elders  in  the  councils  of  a  half-civilized  king, 
ruling  with  absolute  sway  over  a  nation  just  poised  between  barbarism  and 
civilisation,  and  exposed  by  the  peculiarities  of  its  relations  with  foreign 


322  APPENDIX. 

states  to  unusual  difficulties,  w_as  not  precisely  calculated  to  impart  a  heal 
thy  tone  to  the  policy  of  the  government. 

At  last  matters  were  brought  to  such  an  extremity,  through  the  iniquitous 
maladministration  of  affairs,  that  the  endurance  of  further  insults  and  in 
juries  on  the  part  of  the  British  consul  was  no  longer  to  be  borne.  Cap 
tain  Charlton,  insultingly  forbidden  to  leave  the  islands,  clandestinely  with 
drew,  and  arriving  at  Valparaiso,  conferred  with  Rear- Admiral  Thomas, 
the  English  commander-in-chief  on  the  Pacific  station.  In  consequence 
of  this  communication,  Lord  George  Paulet  was  despatched  by  the  admiral 
in  the  Carysfort  frigate,  to  inquire  into  and  correct  the  alleged  abuses. 
On  arriving  at  his  destination,  he  sent  his  first-lieutenant  ashore  with  a  let 
ter  to  the  king,  couched  in  terms  of  the  utmost  courtesy,  and  soliciting  the 
honor  of  an  audience.  The  messenger  was  denied  access  to  his  Majesty, 
and  Paulet  was  coolly  referred  to  Doctor  Judd,  and  informed  that  the  apo 
thecary  was  invested  with  plenary  powers  to  treat  with  him.  Rejecting 
this  insolent  proposition,  his  lordship  again  addressed  the  king  by  letter, 
and  renewed  his  previous  request ;  but  he  encountered  another  repulse. 
Justly  indignant  at  this  treatment,  he  penned  a  third  epistle,  enumerating 
the  grievances  to  be  redressed,  and  demanding  a  compliance  with  his  requi 
sitions,  under  penalty  of  immediate  hostilities. 

The  government  was  now  obliged  to  act,  and  an  artful  stroke  of  policy 
was  decided  upon  by  the  despicable  counsellors  of  the  king  to  entrap  the 
sympathies  and  rouse  the  indignation  of  Christendom.  His  Majesty  was 
made  to  intimate  to  the  British  captain  that  he  could  not,  as  the  conscien 
tious  ruler  of  his  beloved  people,  comply  with  the  arbitrary  demands  of  his 
lordship,  and  in  deprecation  of  the  horrors  of  war,  tendered  to  his  accept 
ance  the  "  provisional  cession"  of  the  islands,  subject  to  the  result  of  the 
negotiations  then  pending  in  London.  Paulet,  a  bluff  and  straight-forward 
sailor,  took  the  king  at  his  word,  and  after  some  preliminary  arrangements, 
entered  upon  the  administration  of  Hawiian  affairs,  in  the  same  firm  and 
benignant  spirit  which  marked  the  discipline  of  his  frigate,  and  which 
had  rendered  him  the  idol  of  his  ship's  company.  He  soon  endeared  him 
self  to  nearly  all  orders  of  the  islanders ;  but  the  king  and  the  chiefs,  whose 
feudal  sway  over  the  common  people  is  laboriously  sought  to  be  perpetu 
ated  by  their  missionary  advisers,  regarded  all  his  proceedings  with  the 
most  vigilant  animosity.  Jealous  of  his  growing  popularity,  and  unable  to 
counteract  it,  they  endeavored  to  assail  his  reputation  abroad  by  ostenta 
tiously  protesting  against  his  acts,  and  appealing  in  Oriental  phrase  to  the 
wide  universe  to  witness  and  compassionate  their  unparalleled  wrongs. 


APPENDIX.  323 


Heedless  of  their  idle  clamors,  Lord  George  Paulet  addressed  himself  to 
the  task  of  reconciling  the  differences  among  the  foreign  residents,  remedy 
ing  their  grievances,  promoting  their  mercantile  interests,  and  ameliorat 
ing  as  far  as  lay  in  his  power  the  condition  of  the  degraded  natives.  The 
iniquities  he  brought  to  light  and  instantly  suppressed  are  too  numerous 
to  be  here  recorded ;  but  one  instance  may  be  mentioned  that  will  give 
some  idea  of  the  lamentable  misrule  to  which  these  poor  islanders  are  sub 
jected. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  laws  of  the  Sandwich  Islands  are  subject  to 
the  most  capricious  alterations,  which,  by  confounding  all  ideas  of  right 
and  wrong  in  the  minds  of  the  natives,  produce  the  most  pernicious  effects. 
In  no  case  is  this  mischief  more  plainly  discernible  than  in  the  continually 
shifting  regulations  concerning  licentiousness.  At  one  time  the  most  inno 
cent  freedoms  between  the  sexes  are  punished  with  fine  and  imprison 
ment  ;  at  another  the  revocation  of  the  statute  is  followed  by  the  most  open 
and  undisguised  profligacy. 

It  so  happened  that  at  the  period  of  Paulet's  arrival  the  Connecticut  blue 
laws  had  been  for  at  least  three  weeks  steadily  enforced.  In  consequence 
of  this,  the  fort  at  Honolulu  was  filled  with  a  great  number  of  young  girls, 
who  were  confined  there  doing  penance  for  their  slips  from  virtue.  Paulet, 
although  at  first  unwilling  to  interfere  with  regulations  having  reference 
solely  to  the  natives  themselves,  was  eventually,  by  the  prevalence  of  cer 
tain  reports,  induced  to  institute  a  strict  inquiry  into  the  internal  adminis 
tration  of  General  Kekuanoa,  governor  of  the  island  of  Oahu,  one  of  the 
pillars  of  the  Hawiian  church,  and  captain  of  the  fort.  He  soon  ascer 
tained  that  numbers  of  the  young  females  employed  during  the  day  at  work 
intended  for  the  benefit  of  the  king,  were  at  night  smuggled  over  the  ram 
parts  of  the  fort — which  on  one  side  directly  overhangs  the  sea — and  were 
conveyed  by  stealth  on  board  such  vessels  as  had  contracted  with  the  Gen 
eral  to  be  supplied  with  them.  Before  daybreak  they  returned  to  their 
quarters,  and  their  own  silence  with  regard  to  these  secret  excursions  was 
purchased  by  a  small  portion  of  those  wages  of  iniquity  which  were  placed 
in  the  hands  of  Kekuanoa. 

The  vigor  with  which  the  laws  concerning  licentiousness  were  at  that 
period  enforced,  enabled  the  General  to  monopolize  in  a  great  measure  the 
detestable  trade  in  which  he  was  engaged,  and  there  consequently  flowed 
into  his  coffers — and  some  say  into  those  of  the  government  also — conside 
rable  sums  of  money.  It  is  indeed  a  lamentable  fact,  that  the  principal 
revenue  of  the  Hawiian  government  is  derived  from  the  fine  levied  upon, 


324  APPENDIX. 


or  rather  the  licenses  taken  out  by  Vice,  the  prosperity  of  which  is  linked 
with  that  of  the  government.  Were  the  people  to  become  virtuous  the 
authorities  would  become  poor  ;  but  from  present  indications  there  is  little 
apprehension  to  be  entertained  on  that  score. 

Some  five  months  after  the  date  of  the  cession  the  Dublin  frigate,  carry 
ing  the  flag  of  Rear- Admiral  Thomas,  entered  the  harbor  of  Honolulu. 
The  excitement  that  her  sudden  appearance  produced  on  shore  was  prodi 
gious.  Three  days  after  her  arrival  an  English  sailor  hauled  down  the  red 
cross  which  had  been  flying  from  the  heights  of  the  fort,  and  the  Hawiian 
colors  were  again  displayed  upon  the  same  staff.  At  the  same  moment  the 
long  42-pounders  upon  Punchbowl  Hill  opened  their  iron  throats  ift  trium 
phant  reply  to  the  thunders  of  the  five  men-of-war  in  the  harbor ;  and  King 
Kammahammaha  III.,  surrounded  by  a  splendid  group  of  British  and  Ame 
rican  officers,  unfurled  the  royal  standard  to  assembled  thousands  of  his  sub 
jects,  who,  attracted  by  the  imposing  military  display  of  the  foreigners,  had 
flocked  to  witness  the  formal  restoration  of  the  islands  to  their  ancient 
rulers. 

The  Admiral,  after  sanctioning  the  proceedings  of  his  subaltern,  had 
brought  the  authorities  to  terms  ;  and  so  removed  the  necessity  of  acting 
any  longer  under  the  provisional  cession. 

The  event  was  made  an  occasion  of  riotous  rejoicing  by  the  king  and  the 
principal  chiefs,  who  easily  secured  a  display  of  enthusiasm  from  the  infe 
rior  orders,  by  remitting  for  a  time  the  accustomed  severity  of  the  laws. 
Royal  proclamations  in  English  and  Hawiian  were  placarded  in  the  streets 
of  Honolulu,  and  posted  up  in  the  more  populous  villages  of  the  group,  in 
which  his  majesty  announced  to  his  loving  subjects  the  reestablishment  of 
his  throne;  and  called  upon  them  to  celebrate  it  by  breaking  through  all 
moral,  legal,  and  religious  restraint  for  ten  consecutive  days,  during  which 
time  all  the  laws  of  the  land  were  solemnly  declared  to  be  suspended. 

Who  that  happened  to  be  at  Honolulu  during  those  ten  memorable  days, 
will  ever  forget  them  !  The  spectacle  of  universal  broad-day  debauchery, 
which  was  then  exhibited,  beggars  description.  The  natives  of  the  sur 
rounding  islands  flocked  to  Honolulu  by  hundreds,  and  the  crews  of  two 
frigates  opportunely  let  loose  like  so  many  demons  to  swell  the  heathenish 
uproar,  gave  the  crowning  flourish  to  the  scene.  It  was  a  sort  of  Polyne 
sian  saturnalia.  Deeds  too  atrocious  to  be  mentioned  were  done  at  noon 
day  in  the  open  street,  and  some  of  the  islanders  caught  in  the  very  act  of 
stealing  from  the  foreigners,  were,  on  being  taken  to  the  fort  by  the  aggrieved 
party,  suffered  immediately  to  go  at  large  and  retain  the  stolen  property — 


APPENDIX.  325 


Kekuanoa  informing  the  white  men,  with  a  sardonic  grin,  that  the  laws 
were  "  hampa  "  (tied  up). 

The  history  of  these  ten  days  reveals  in  their  true  colors  the  character  of 
the  Sandwich  Islanders,  and  furnishes  an  eloquent  commentary  on  the 
results  which  have  flowed  from  the  labors  of  the  missionaries.  Freed  from 
the  restraints  of  severe  penal  laws,  the  natives  almost  to  a  man  had  plunged 
voluntarily  into  every  species  of  wickedness  and  excess,  and  by  their  utter 
disregard  of  all  decency  plainly  showed,  that  although  they  had  been 
schooled  into  a  seeming  submission  to  the  new  order  of  things,  they  were 
in  reality  as  depraved  and  vicious  as  ever. 

Such  were  the  events  which  produced  in  America  so  general  an  outbreak 
of  indignation  against  the  spirited  and  high-minded  Paulet.  He  is  not  the 
first  man  who,  in  the  fearless  discharge  of  his  duty,  has  awakened  the 
senseless  clamors  of  those  whose  narrow-minded  suspicions  blind  them  to 
a  proper  appreciation  of  measures  which  unusual  exigencies  may  have 
rendered  necessary. 

It  is  almost  needless  to  add  that  the  British  cabinet  never  had  any  idea 
of  appropriating  the  islands  ;  and  it  furnishes  a  sufficient  vindication  of  the 
acts  of  Lord  George  Paulet,  that  he  not  only  received  the  unqualified  ap 
probation  of  his  own  government,  but  that  to  this  hour  the  great  body  of 
the  Hawiian  people  invoke  blessings  on  his  head,  and  look  back  with  gra 
titude  to  the  time  when  his  liberal  and  paternal  sway  diffused  peace  and 
happiness  among  them. 


THE    END. 


THE 


STORY     OF    TOBY, 

A  SEQUEL  TO  "  TYPEE." 
BY  THE  AUTHOR  OF  THAT  WORK. 


KOTE  TO  THE  SEQUEL. 

THE  author  was  more  than  two  years  in  the  South  Seas,  after  escaping  from 
the  valley,  as  recounted  in  the  last  chapter.  Some  time  after  returning  home 
the  foregoing  narrative  was  published,  though  it  was  little  thought  at  the 
time  that  this  would  be  the  means  of  revealing  the  existence  of  Toby,  who 
had  long  been  given  up  for  lost.  But  so  it  proved. 

The  story  of  his  escape  supplies  a  natural  sequel  to  the  adventure,  and  as 
such  it  is  now  added  to  the  volume.  It  was  related  to  the  author  by  Toby 
himself,  not  ten  days  since. 

New  York,  July,  1846. 


THE  STORY  OF  TOBY.  289 


SEQUEL. 


THE  morning  my  comrade  left  me,  as  related  in  the  narrative,  he 
was  accompanied  by  a  large  party  of  the  natives,  some  of  them 
carrying  fruit  and  hogs  for  the  purposes  of  traffic,  as  the  report 
had  spread  that  boats  had  touched  at  the  bay. 

As  they  proceeded  through  the  settled  parts  of  the  valley, 
numbers  joined  them  from  every  side,  running  with  animated 
cries  from  every  pathway.  So  excited  were  the  whole  party, 
that  eager  as  Toby  was  to  gain  the  beach,  it  was  almost  as  much 
as  he  could  do  to  keep  up  with  them.  Making  the  valley  ring 
with  their  shouts,  they  hurried  along  on  a  swift  trot,  those  in 
advance  pausing  now  and  then,  and  flourishing  their  weapons  to 
urge  the  rest  forward. 

Presently  they  came  to  a  place  where  the  path  crossed  a  band 
of  the  main  stream  of  the  valley.  Here  a  strange  sound  came 
through  the  grove  beyond,  and  the  Islanders  halted.  It  was  Mow- 
Mow,  the  one-eyed  chief,  who  had  gone  on  before ;  he  was  strik 
ing  his  heavy  lance  against  the  hollow  bough  of  a  tree. 

This  was  a  signal  of  alarm  ; — for  nothing  was  now  heard  but 
shouts  of  "  Happar  !  Happar  !  " — the  warriors  tilting  with  their 
spears  and  brandishing  them  in  the  air,  and  the  women  and  boys 
shouting  to  each  other,  and  picking  up  the  stones  in  the  bed  of 
the  stream.  In  a  moment  or  two  Mow-Mow  and  two  or  three, 
other  chiefs  ran  out  from  the  grove,  arid  the  din  increased  ten 
fold. 

Now,  thought  Toby,  for  a  fray ;  and  being  unarmed,  he  be 
sought  one  of  the  young  men  domiciled  with  Marheyo  for  the 
loan  of  his  spear.  But  he  was  refused  ;  the  youth  roguishly  tell 
ing  him  that  the  weapon  was  very  good  for  him  (the  Typee),  but 
that  a  white  man  could  fight  much  better  with  his  fists. 

u  2 


290  SEQUEL  TO  "  TYPEE." 

The  merry  humour  of  this  young  wag  seemed  to  be  shared  by 
the  rest,  for  in  spite  of  their  warlike  cries  and  gestures,  every 
body  was  capering  about  and  laughing,  as  if  it  was  one  of  the 
funniest  things  in  the  world  to  be  awaiting  the  flight  of  a  score 
or  two  of  Happar  javelins  from  an  ambush  in  the  thickets. 

While  my  comrade  was  in  vain  trying  to  make  out  the  mean 
ing  of  all  this,  a  good  number  of  the  natives  separated  themselves 
from  the  rest  and  ran  off  into  the  grove  on  one  side,  the  others 
now  keeping  perfectly  still,  as  if  awaiting  the  result.  After  a 
little  while,  however,  Mow-Mow,  who  stood  in  advance,  mo 
tioned  them  to  come  on  stealthily,  which  they  did,  scarcely 
rustling  a  leaf.  Thus  they  crept  along  for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes, 
every  now  and  then  pausing  to  listen. 

Toby  by  no  means  relished  this  sort  of  skulking ;  if  there  was 
going  to  be  a  fight  he  wanted  it  to  begin  at  once.  But  all  in 
good  time, — for  just  then,  as  they  went  prowling  into  the  thickest 
of  the  wood,  terrific  howls  burst  upon  them  on  all  sides,  and 
volleys  of  darts  and  stones  flew  across  the  path.  Not  an  enemy 
was  to  be  seen,  and,  what  was  still  more  surprising,  not  a  single 
man  dropped,  though  the  pebbles  fell  among  the  leaves  like  hail. 

There  was  a  moment's  pause,  when  the  Typees,  with  wild 
shrieks,  flung  themselves  into  the  covert,  spear  in  hand  ;  nor  was 
Toby  behindhand.  Coming  so  near  getting  his  skull  broken  by 
the  stones,  and  animated  by  an  old  grudge  he  bore  the  Happars, 
he  was  among  the  first  to  dash  at  them.  As  he  broke  his  way 
through  the  underbrush,  trying,  as  he  did  so,  to  wrest  a  spear 
from  a  young  chief,  the  shouts  of  battle  all  of  a  sudden  ceased, 
and  the  wood  was  as  still  as  death.  The  next  moment,  the 
party  who  had  left  them  so  mysteriously  rushed  out  from  behind 
every  bush  and  tree,  and  united  with  the  rest  in  long  and  merry 
peals  of  laughter. 

It  was  all  a  sham,  and  Toby,  who  was  quite  out  of  breath  with 
excitement,  was  much  incensed  at  being  made  a  fool  of. 

It  afterwards  turned  out  that  the  whole  affair  had  been  con 
certed  for  his  particular  benefit,  though  with  what  precise  view 
it  would  be  hard  to  tell.  My  comrade  was  the  more  enraged  at 
this  boys'  play,  since  it  had  consumed  so  much  time,  every  mo 
ment  of  which  might  be  precious.  Perhaps,  however,  it  was 
partly  intended  for  this  very  purpose ;  and  he  was  led  to  think 


THE  STORY  OF  TOBY.  291 

so,  because,  when  the  natives  started  again,  he  observed  that  they 
did  not  seem  to  be  in  so  great  a  hurry  as  before.  At  last,  after 
they  had  gone  some  distance,  Toby,  thinking  all  the  while  that 
they  never  woilld  get  to  the  sea,  two  men  came  running  towards 
them,  and  a  regular  halt  ensued,  followed  by  a  noisy  discussion, 
during  which  Toby's  name  was  often  repeated.  All  this  made 
him  more  and  more  anxious  to  learn  what  was  going  on  at  the 
beach ;  but  it  was  in  vain  that  he  now  tried  to  push  forward ; 
the  natives  held  him  back. 

In  a  few  moments  the  conference  ended,  and  many  of  them  ran 
down  the  path  in  the  direction  of  the  water,  the  rest  surround 
ing  Toby,  and  entreating  him  to  "  Moce,"  or  sit  down  and  rest 
himself.  As  an  additional  inducement,  several  calabashes  of  food, 
which  had  been  brought  along,  were  now  placed  on  the  ground, 
and  opened,  and  pipes  also  were  lighted.  Toby  bridled  his 
impatience  a  while,  but  at  last  sprang  to  his  feet  and  dashed 
forward  again.  He  was  soon  overtaken  nevertheless,  and  again 
surrounded,  but  without  further  detention  was  then  permitted  to 
go  down  to  the  sea. 

They  came  out  upon  a  bright  green  space  between  the  groves 
and  the  water,  and  close  under  the  shadow  of  the  Happar  moun 
tain,  where  a  path  was  seen,  winding  out  of  sight  through  a  gorge. 

No  sign  of  a  boat,  however,  was  beheld  ;  nothing  but  a  tumul 
tuous  crowd  of  men  and  women,  and  some  one  in  their  midst, 
earnestly  talking  to  them.  As  my  comrade  advanced,  this  person 
came  forward  and  proved  to  be  no  stranger.  *He  was  an  old  grizzled 
sailor,  whom  Toby  and  myself  had  frequently  seen  in  Nukuheva, 
where  he  lived  an  easy  devil-may-care  life  in  the  household  of 
Mowanna  the  king,  going  by  the  name  of  "  Jimmy."  In  fact,  he 
was  the  royal  favourite,  and  had  a  good  deal  to  say  in  his  master's 
councils.  He  wore  a  Manilla  hat  and  a  sort  of  tappa  morning 
gown,  sufficiently  loose  and  negligent  to  show  the  verse  of  a  song 
tatooed  upon  his  chest,  and  a  variety  of  spirited  cuts  by  native 
artists  in  other  parts  of  his  body.  He  sported  a  fishing-rod  in 
his  hand,  and  carried  a  sooty  old  pipe  slung  about  his  neck. 

This  old  rover  having  retired  from  active  life,  had  resided  in 
Nukuheva  for  some  time,  could  speak  the  language,  and  for  that 
reason  was  frequently  employed  by  the  French  as  an  interpreter. 
He. was  an  arrant  old  gossip  too  ;  for  ever  coming  off  in  his  canoe 


292  SEQUEL  TO  "  TYPEE." 

to  the  ships  in  the  bay,  and  regaling  their  crews  with  choice 
little  morsels  of  court  scandal ;  such,  for  instance,  as  a  shameful 
intrigue  of  his  majesty  with  a  Happar  damsel,  a  public  dancer  at 
the  feasts,  and  otherwise  relating  some  incredible  tales  about  the 
Marquesas  generally.  I  remember  in  particular  his  telling  the 
Dolly's  crew  what  proved  to  be  literally  a  cock-and-bull  story, 
about  two  natural  prodigies  which  he  said  were  then  on  the 
island.  One  was  an  old  monster  of  a  hermit,  having  a  mar 
vellous  reputation  for  sanctity,  and  reputed  a  famous  sorcerer, 
who  lived  away  off  in  a  den  among  the  mountains,  where  he  hid 
from  the  world  a  great  pair  of  horns  that  grew  out  of  his  temples. 
Notwithstanding  his  reputation  for  piety,  this  horrid  old  fellow 
was  the  terror  of  all  the  island  round,  being  reported  to  come  out 
from  his  retreat,  and  go  a  man-hunting  every  dark  night.  Some 
anonymous  Paul  Pry,  too,  coming  down  the  mountain,  once  got 
a  peep  at  his  den,  and  found  it  full  of  bones.  In  short,  he  was 
a  most  unheard-of  monster. 

The  other  prodigy  Jimmy  told  us  about,  was  the  younger  son 
of  a  chief,  who,  although  but  just  turned  of  ten,  had  entered  upon 
holy  orders,  because  his  superstitious  countrymen  thought  him 
especially  intended  for  the  priesthood  from  the  fact  of  his  having 
a  comb  on  his  head  like  a  rooster.  But -this  was  not  all ;  for  still 
more  wonderful  to  relate,  the  boy  prided  himself  upon  this  strange 
crest,  being  actually  endowed  with  a  cock's  voice,  and  frequently 
crowing  over  his  peculiarity. 

But  to  return  to  Toby.  The  moment  he  saw  the  old  rover  on 
the  beach,  he  ran  up  to  him,  the  natives  following  after,  and 
forming  a  circle  round  them. 

After  welcoming  hini  to  the  shore,  Jimmy  went  on  to  tell  him 
how  that  he  knew  all  about  our  having  run  away  from  the  ship, 
and  being  among  the  Typees.  Indeed,  he  had  been  urged  by 
Mowanna  to  come  over  to  the  valley,  and  after  visiting  his  friends 
there,  to  bring  us  back  with  him,  his  royal  master  being  exceed 
ingly  anxious  to  share  with  him  the  reward  which  had  been  held 
out  for  our  capture.  He,  however,  assured  Toby  that  he  had 
indignantly  spurned  the  offer. 

All  this  astonished  my  comrade  not  a  little,  as  neither  of  us  had 
entertained  the  least  idea  that  any  white  man  ever  visited  the 
Typees  sociably.  But  Jimmy  told  him  that  such  was  the  case 


THE  STORY  OF  TOBY.  293 

nevertheless,  although  he  seldom  came  into  the  bay,  and  scarcely 
ever  went  back  from  the  beach.  One  of  the  priests  of  the  valley, 
in  some  way  or  other  connected  with  an  old  tatooed  divine  in 
Nukuheva,  was  a  friend  of  his,  and  through  him  he  was  "  taboo." 

He  said,  moreover,  that  he  was  sometimes  employed  to  come 
round  to  the  bay,  and  engage  fruit  for  ships  lying  in  Nukuheva. 
In  fact,  he  was  now  on  that  very  errand,  according  to  his  own 
account,  having  just  come  across  the  mountains  by  the  way  of 
Happar.  By  noon  of  the  next  day  the  fruit  would  be  heaped  up 
in  stacks  on  the  beach,  in  readiness  for  the  boats  which  he  then 
intended  to  bring  into  the  bay. 

Jimmy  now  asked  Toby  whether  he  wished  to  leave  the  island  ; 
if  he  did,  there  was  a  ship  in  want  of  men  lying  in  the  other 
harbour,  and  would  be  glad  to  take  him  over,  and  see  him  on 
board  that  very  day. 

"  No,"  said  Toby,  "  I  cannot  leave  the  island  unless  my 
comrade  goes  with  me.  I  left  him  up  the  valley  because  they 
would  not  let  him  come  down.  Let  us  go  now  and  fetch  him." 

"  But  how  is  he  to  cross  the  mountain  with  us,"  replied 
Jimmy,  "  even  if  we  get  him  down  to  the  beach  ?  Better  let 
him  stay  till  to-morrow,  and  I  will  bring  him  round  to  Nukuheva 
in  the  boats." 

"  That  will  never  do,"  said  Toby ;  "  but  come  along  with  me 
now,  and  let  us  get  him  down  here  at  any  rate ;"  and  yielding 
to  the  impulse  of  the  moment,  he  started  to  hurry  back  into  the 
valley.  But  hardly  was  his  back  turned,  when  a  dozen  hands 
were  laid  on  him,  and  he  learned  that  he  could  not  go  a  step 
farther. 

It  was  in  vain  that  he  fought  with  them ;  they  would  not  hear 
of  his  stirring  from  the  beach.  Cut  to  the  heart  at  this  unex 
pected  repulse,  Toby  now  conjured  the  sailor  to  go  after  me  alone. 
But  Jimmy  replied,  that  in  the  mood  the  Typees  then  were  they 
would  not  permit  him  so  to  do,  though  at  the  same  time  he  was 
not  afraid  of  their  offering  him  any  harm. 

Little  did  Toby  then  think,  as  he  afterwards  had  good  reason 
to  suspect,  that  this  very  Jimmy  was  a  heartless  villain,  who,  by 
his  arts,  had  just  incited  the  natives  to  restrain  him  as  he  was  in 
the  act  of  going  after  me.  Well  must  the  old  sailor  have  known, 
too,  that  the  natives  would  never  consent  to  our  leaving  together, 


294  SEQUEL  TO  "  TYPEE." 

and  he  therefore  wanted  to  get  Toby  off  alone,  for  a  purpose 
which  he  afterwards  made  plain.  Of  all  this,  however,  my  com 
rade  now  knew  nothing. 

He  was  still  struggling  with  the  islanders  when  Jimmy  again 
came  up  to  him,  and  warned  him  against  irritating  them,  saying 
that  he  was  only  making  matters  worse  for  both  of  us,  and  if  they 
became  enraged,  there  was  no  telling  what  might  happen.  At 
last  he  made  Toby  sit  down  on  a  broken  canoe  by  a  pile  of  stones, 
upon  which  was  a  ruinous  little  shrine  supported  by  four  upright 
paddles,  and  in  front  partly  screened  by  a  net.  The  fishing  par 
ties  met  there,  when  they  came  in  from  the  sea,  for  their  offerings 
were  laid  before  an  image,  upon  a  smooth  black  stone  within. 
This  spot  Jimmy  said  was  strictly  "  taboo,"  and  no  one  would 
molest  or  come  near  him  while  he  stayed  by  its  shadow.  The 
old  sailor  then  went  off,  and  began  speaking  very  earnestly  to 
Mow-Mow  and  some  other  chiefs,  while  all  the  rest  formed  a 
circle  round  the  taboo  place,  looking  intently  at  Toby,  and  talk 
ing  to  each  other  without  ceasing. 

Now,  notwithstanding  what  Jimmy  had  just  told  him,  there 
presently  came  up  to  my  comrade  an  old  woman,  who  seated  her 
self  beside  him  on  the  canoe. 

"Typee  Mortarkee?"  said  she.  "  Mortarkee  nuee,"  said 
Toby. 

She  then  asked  him  whether  he  was  going  to  Nukuheva ;  he 
nodded  yes  ;  and  with  a  plaintive  wail  and  her  eyes  filling  with 
tears  she  rose  and  left  him. 

This  old  woman,  the  sailor  afterwards  said,  was  the  wife  of  an 
aged  king  of  a  small  inland  valley,  communicating  by  a  deep 
pass  with  the  country  of  the  Typees.  The  inmates  of  the  two 
valleys  were  related  to  each  other  by  blood,  and  were  known  by 
the  same  name.  The  old  woman  had  gone  down  into  the  Typee 
valley  the  day  before,  and  was  now  with  three  chiefs,  her  sons, 
on  a  visit  to  her  kinsmen. 

As  the  old  king's  wife  left  him,  Jimmy  again  came  up  to  Toby, 
and  told  him  that  he  had  just  talked  the  whole  matter  over  with 
the  natives,  and  there  was  only  one  course  for  him  to  follow. 
They  would  not  allow  him  to  go  back  into  the  valley,  and  harm 
would  certainly  come  to  both  him  and  me,  if  he  remained  much 
longer  on  the  beach.  "  So,"  said  he,  "  you  and  I  had  better  go 


THE  STORY  OF  TOBY.  295 

to  Nukuheva  now  overland,  and  to-morrow  I  will  bring  Tommo, 
as  they  call  him,  by  water  ;  they  have  promised  to  carry  him 
down  to  the  sea  for  me  early  in  the  morning,  so  that  there  will 
be  no  delay." 

"  No,  no,"  said  Toby  desperately,  "  I  will  not  leave  him  that 
way  ;  we  must  escape  together." 

"  Then  there  is  no  hope  for  you,"  exclaimed  the  sailor ;  "  for 
if  I  leave  you  here  on  the  beach,  as  soon  as  I  am  gone  you  will 
be  carried  back  into  the  valley,  and  then  neither  of  you  will  ever 
look  upon  the  sea  again,"  And  with  many  oaths  he  swore  that 
if  he  would  only  go  to  Nukuheva  with  him  that  day,  he  would 
be  sure  to  have  me  there  the  very  next  morning. 

"  But  how  do  you  know  they  will  bring  him  down  to  the  beach 
to-morrow,  when  they  will  not  do  so  to-day  ?"  said  Toby.  But 
the  sailor  had  many  reasons,  all  of  which  were  so  mixed  up  with 
the  mysterious  customs  of  the  islanders,  that  he  was  none  the 
wiser.  Indeed,  their  conduct,  especially  in  preventing  him  from 
returning  into  the  valley,  was  absolutely  unaccountable  to  him  ; 
and  added  to  everything  else,  was  the  bitter  reflection,  that  the 
old  sailor,  after  all,  might  possibly  be  deceiving  him.  And  then 
again  he  had  to  think  of  me,  left  alone  with  the  natives,  and  by 
no  means  well.  If  he  went  with  Jimmy,  he  might  at  least  hope 
to  procure  some  relief  for  me.  But  might  not  the  savages  who 
had  acted  so  strangely,  hurry  me  off  somewhere  before  his  re 
turn  ?  Then,  even  if  he  remained,  perhaps  they  would  not  let 
him  go  back  into  the  valley  where  I  was. 

Thus  perplexed  was  my  poor  comrade ;  he  knew  not  what  to 
do,  and  his  courageous  spirit  was  of  no  use  to  him  now.  There 
he  was,  all  by  himself,  seated  upon  the  broken  canoe — the  natives 
grouped  around  him  at  a  distance,  and  eyeing  him  more  and 
more  fixidly. 

"  It  is  getting  late,"  said  Jimmy,  who  was  standing  behind  the 
rest.  "  Nukuheva  is  far  off,  and  I  cannot  cross  the  Happar 
country  by  night.  You  see  how  it  is  : —  if  you  come  along  with 
me,  all  will  be  well ;  if  you  do  not,  depend  upon  it,  neither  of 
you  will  ever  escape." 

"  There  is  no  help  for  it,"  said  Toby,  at  last,  with  a  heavy 
heart,  "  I  will  have  to  trust  you ;"  and  he  came  out  from  the 
shadow  of  the  little  shrine,  and  cast  a  long  look  up  the  valley. 


296  SEQUEL  TO'"  TYPEE." 

"  Now  keep  close  to  my  side,"  said  the  sailor,  "  and  let  us  be 
moving  quickly."  Tinor  and  Fayaway  here  appeared ;  the 
kind-hearted  old  woman  embracing  Toby's  knees,  and  giving 
way  to  a  flood  of  tears ;  while  Fayaway,  hardly  less  moved, 
spoke  some  few  words  of  English  she  had  learned,  and  held  up 
three  fingers  before  him- — in  so  many  days  he  would  return. 

At  last  Jimmy  pulled  Toby  out  of  the  crowd,  and  after  call 
ing  to  a  young  Typee  who  was  standing  by  with  a  young  pig  in 
his  arms,  all  three  started  for  the  mountains. 

"  I  have  told  them  that  you  are  coming  back  again,"  said  the 
old  fellow,  laughing,  as  they  began  the  ascent,  "  but  they  '11  have 
to  wait  a  long  time."  Toby  turned,  and  saw  the  natives  all  in 
motion — the  girls  waving  their  tappas  in.  adieu,  and  the  men 
their  spears.  As  the  last  figure  entered  the  grove  with  one  arm 
raised,  and  the  three  fingers  spread,  his  heart  smote  him. 

As  the  natives  had  at  last  consented  to  his  going,  it  might 
have  been  that  some  of  them,  at  least,  really  counted  upon  his 
speedy  return,  probably  supposing,  as  indeed  he  had  told  them 
when  they  were  coming  down  the  valley,  that  his  only  object  in 
leaving  them  was  to  procure  the  medicines  I  needed.  This 
Jimmy  also  must  have  told  them.  And  as  they  had  done  before, 
when  my  comrade,  to  oblige  me,  started  on  his  perilous  journey 
to  Nukuheva,  they  looked  upon  me,  in  his  absence,  as  one  of 
two  inseparable  friends  who  was  a  sure  guaranty  for  the  other's 
return.  This  is  only  my  own  supposition,  however,  for  as  to  all 
their  strange  conduct,  it  is  still  a  mystery. 

"  You  see  what  sort  of  a  taboo  man  I  am,"  said  the  sailor, 
after  for  some  time  silently  following  the  path  which  led  up  the 
mountain.  "  Mow-Mow  made  me  a  present  of  this  pig  here, 
and  the  man  who  carries  it  will  go  right  through  Happar,  and 
down  into  Nukuheva  with  us.  So  long  as  he  stays  by  me  he  is 
safe,  and  just  so  it  will  be  with  you,  and  to-morrow  with  Tommo. 
Cheer  up,  then,  and  rely  upon  me,  you  will  see  him  in  the 
morning." 

The  ascent  of  the  mountain  was  not  very  difficult,  owing  to  its 
being  near  to  the  sea,  where  the  island  ridges  are  comparatively 
low ;  the  path,  too,  was  a  fine  one,  so  that  in  a  short  time  all 
three  were  standing  on  the  summit  with  the  two  valleys  at  their 
feet.  The  white  cascades  marking  the  green  head  of  the  Typee 


THE  STORY  OF  TOBY.  297 

valley  first,  caught  Toby's  eye ;  Marheyo's  house  could  easily  be 
traced  by  them. 

As  Jimmy  led  the  way  along  the  ridge,  Toby  observed  that 
the  valley  of  the  Happars  did  not  extend  near  so  far  inland  as 
that  of  the  Typees.  This  accounted  for  our  mistake  in  entering 
the  latter  valley  as  we  had. 

A  path  leading  down  from  the  mountain  was  soon  seen,  and, 
following  it,  the  party  were  in  a  short  time  fairly  in  the  Happar 
valley. 

"  Now,"  said  Jimmy^  as  they  hurried  on,  "  we  taboo  men  have 
wives  in  all  the  bays,  and  I  am  going  to  show  you  the  two  I 
have  here." 

So,  when  they  came  to  the  house  where  he  said  they  lived, — 
which  was  close  by  the  base  of  the  mountain  in  a  shady  nook 
among  the  groves, — he  went  in,  and  was  quite  furious  at  finding 
it  empty — the  ladies  had  gone  out.  However,  they  soon  made 
their  appearance,  and,  to  tell  the  truth,  welcomed  Jimmy  quite 
cordially,  as  well  as  Toby,  about  whom  they  were  very  inquisi 
tive.  Nevertheless,  as  the  report  of  their  arrival  spread,  and  the 
Happars  began  to  assemble,  it  became  evident  that  the  appear 
ance  of  a  white  stranger  among  them  was  not  by  any  means 
deemed  so  wonderful  an  event  as  in  the  neighbouring  valley. 

The  old  sailor  now  bade  his  wives  prepare  something  to  eat, 
as  he  must  be  in  Nukuheva  before  dark.  A  meal  of  fish,  bread 
fruit,  and  bananas  was  accordingly  served  up,  the  party  regaling 
themselves  on  the  mats,  in  the  midst  of  a  numerous  company. 

The  Happars  put  many  questions  to  Jimmy  about  Toby  ;  and 
Toby  himself  looked  sharply  at  them,  anxious  to  recognise  the 
fellow  who  gave  him  the  wound  from  which  he  was  still  suffer 
ing.  But  this  fiery  gentleman,  so  handy  with  his  spear,  had  the 
delicacy,  it  seemed,  to  keep  out  of  view.  Certainly  the  sight  of 
him  would  not  have  been  any  added  inducement  to  making  a  stay 
in  the  valley, — some  of  the  afternoon  loungers  in  Happar  having 
politely  urged  Toby  to  spend  a  few  days  with  them, — there  was 
a  feast  coming  on.  He,  however,  declined. 

All  this  while  the  young  Typee  stuck  to  Jimmy  like  his 
shadow,  and  though  as  lively  a  dog  as  any  of  his  tribe,  he  was 
now  as  meek  as  a  lamb,  never  opening  his  mouth  except  to  eat. 


298  SEQUEL  TO  «  TYPEE." 

Although  some  of  the  Happars  looked  queerly  at  him,  others 
were  more  civil,  and  seemed  desirous  of  taking  him  abroad  and 
showing  him  the  valley.  But  the  Typee  was  not  to  be  cajoled 
in  that  way.  How  many  yards  he  would  have  to  remove  from 
Jimmy  before  the  taboo  would  be  powerless,  it  would  be  hard  to 
tell,  but  probably  he  himself  knew  to  a  fraction. 

On  the  promise  of  a  red  cotton  handkerchief,  and  something  else 
which  he  kept  secret,  this  poor  fellow  had  undertaken  a  rather 
ticklish  journey,  though,  as  far  as  Toby  could  ascertain,  it  was 
something  that  had  never  happened  before. 

The  island-punch — arva — was  brought  in  at  the  conclusion  of 
the  repast,  and  passed  round  in  a  shallow  calabash. 

Now  my  comrade,  while  seated  in  the  Happar  house,  began 
to  feel  more  troubled  than  ever  at  leaving  me :  indeed,  so  sad 
did  he  feel  that  he  talked  about  going  back  to  the  valley,  and 
wanted  Jimmy  to  escort  him  as  far  as  the  mountains.  But  the 
sailor  would  not  listen  to  him,  and,  by  way  of  diverting  his 
thoughts,  pressed  him  to  drink  of  the  arva.  Knowing  its  nar 
cotic  nature,  he  refused ;  but  Jimmy  said  he  would  have  some 
thing  mixed  with  it,  which  would  convert  it  into  an  innocent 
beverage  that  would  inspirit  them  for  the  rest  of  their  journey. 
So  at  last  he  was  induced  to  drink  of  it,  and  its  effects  were  just 
as  the  sailor  had  predicted  ;  his  spirits  rose  at  once,  and  all  his 
gloomy  thoughts  left  him. 

The  old  rover  now  began  to  reveal  his  true  character,  though 
he  was  hardly  suspected  at  the  time.  "  If  I  get  you  off  to  a 
ship,"  said  he,  "  you  will  surely  give  a  poor  fellow  something 
for  saving  you."  In  short,  before  they  left  the  house,  he  made 
Toby  promise  that  he  would  give  him  five  Spanish  dollars  if  he 
succeeded  in  getting  any  part  of  his  wages  advanced  from  the 
vessel,  aboard  of  which  they  were  going;  Toby,  moreover, 
engaging  to  reward  him  still  further,  as  soon  as  my  deliverance 
was  accomplished. 

A  little  while  after  this  they  started  again,  accompanied  by 
many  of  the  natives,  and  going  up  the  valley,  took  a  steep  path 
near  its  head,  which  led  to  Nukuheva.  Here  the  Happars 
paused,  and  watched  them  as  they  ascended  the  mountain,  one 
group  of  bandit-looking  fellows,  shaking  their  spears  and  casting 


THE  STOKY  OF  TOBY.  299 

threatening  glances  at  the  poor  Typee,  whose  heart  as  well  as 
heels  seemed  much  the  lighter  when  he  came  to  look  down  upon 
them. 

On  gaining  the  heights  once  more,  their  way  led  for  a  time 
along  several  ridges  covered  with  enormous  ferns.  At  last  they 
entered  upon  a  wooded  tract,  and  here  they  overtook  a  party  of 
Nukuheva  natives,  well  armed,  and  carrying  bundles  of  long 
poles.  Jimmy  seemed  to  know  them  all  very  well,  and  stopped 
for  awhile,  and  had  a  talk  about  the  "  Wee- Wees,"  as  the  people 
of  Nukuheva  call  the  Monsieurs. 

The  party  with  the  poles  were  King  Mowanna's  men,  and  by 
his  orders  they  had  been  gathering  them  in  the  ravines  for  his 
allies  the  French. 

Leaving  these  fellows  to  trudge  on  with  their  loads,  Toby  and 
his  companions  now  pushed  forward  again,  as  the  sun  was  already 
low  in  the  west.  They  came  upon  the  valleys  of  Nukuheva  on 
one  side  of  the  bay,  where  the  highlands  slope  off  into  the  sea. 
The  men-of-war  were  still  lying  in  the  harbour,  and  as  Toby 
looked  down  upon  them,  the  strange  events  which  had  happened 
so  recently  seemed  all  a  dream. 

They  soon  descended  towards  the  beach,  and  found  themselves 
in  Jimmy's  house  before  it  was  well  dark.  Here  he  received 
another  welcome  from  his  Nukuheva  wives,  and  after  some  re 
freshments  in  the  shape  of  cocoa-nut  milk  and  poee-poee,  they 
entered  a  canoe  (the  Typee,  of  course,  going  along)  and  paddled 
off  to  a  whale  ship  which  was  anchored  near  the  shore.  This 
was  the  vessel  in  want  of  men.  Our  own  had  sailed  some  time 
before.  The  captain  professed  great  pleasure  at  seeing  Toby, 
but  thought,  from  his  exhausted  appearance,  that  he  must  be  unfit 
for  duty.  However,  he  agreed  to  ship  him,  as  well  as  his  com 
rade,  as  soon  as  he  should  arrive. 

Toby  begged  hard  for  an  armed  boat,  in  which  to  go  round  to 
Typee  and  rescue  me,  notwithstanding  the  promises  of  Jimmy. 
But  this  the  captain  would  not  hear  of,  and  told  him  to  have 
patience,  for  the  sailor  would  be  faithful  to  his  word.  When, 
too,  he  demanded  the  five  silver  dollars  for  Jimmy,  the  captain 
was  unwilling  to  give  them.  But  Toby  insisted  upon  it,  as  he 
now  began  to  think  that  Jimmy  might  be  a  mere  mercenary, 


300  SEQUEL  TO  "  TYPEE." 

who  would  be  sure  to  prove  faithless  if  not  well  paid.  Accord 
ingly  he  not  only  gave  him  the  money,  but  took  care  to  assure 
him,  over  and  over  again,  that  as  soon  as  he  brought  me  aboard 
he  would  receive  a  still  larger  sum. 

Before  sun-rise  the  next  day,  Jimmy  and  the  Typee  started  in 
two  of  the  ship's  boats,  which  were  manned  by  tabooed  natives. 
Toby,  of  course,  was  all  eagerness  to  go  along,  but  the  sailor 
told  him  that  if  he  did,  it  would  spoil  all ;  so,  hard  as  it  was,  he 
was  obliged  to  remain. 

Towards  evening  he  was  on  the  watch,  and  descried  the  boats 
turning  the  headland  and  entering  the  bay.  He  strained  his 
eyes,  and  thought  he  saw  me  ;  but  I  was  not  there.  Descending 
from  the  mast  almost  distracted,  he  grappled  Jimmy  as  he  struck 
the  deck,  shouting  in  a  voice  that  startled  him,  "  Where  is 
Tornmo?"  The  old  fellow  faltered,  but  soon  recovering,  did 
all  he  could  to  soothe  him,  assuring  him  that  it  had  proved  to 
be  impossible  to  get  me  down  to  the  shore  that  morning ;  as 
signing  many  plausible  reasons,  arid  adding  that  early  on  the 
morrow  he  was  going  to  visit  the  bay  again  in  a  French  boat, 
when,  if  he  did  not  find  me  on  the  beach — as  this  time  he  cer 
tainly  expected  to — he  would  march  right  back  into  the  valley, 
and  carry  me  away  at  all  hazards.  He,  however,  again  refused 
to  allow  Toby  to  accompany  him. 

Now,  situated  as  Toby  was,  his  sole  dependence  for  the 
present  was  upon  this  Jimmy,  and  therefore  he  was  fain  to 
comfort  himself  as  well  as  he  could  with  what  the  old  sailor 
had  told  him. 

The  next  morning,  however,  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing 
the  French  boat  start  with  Jimmy  in  it.  To-night,  then,  I  will 
see  him,  thought  Toby  ;  but  many  a  long  clay  passed  before  he 
ever  saw  Tommo  again.  Hardly  was  the  boat  out  of  sight, 
when  the  captain  came  forward  and  ordered  the  anchor  to  be 
weighed  ;  he  was  going  to  sea. 

Vain  were  all  Toby's  ravings, — they  were  disregarded ;  and 
when  he  came  to  himself  the  sails  were  set,  and  the  ship  fast 
leaving  the  land. 

*  *  *  Oh  !  said  he  to  me  at  our  meeting,  what  sleepless 
nights  were  mine.  Often  I  started  from  my  hammock,  dreaming 


THE  STORY  OF  TOBY.  301 

you  were  before  me,  and  upbraiding  me  for  leaving1  you  on  the 

island. 

#     '         *  *  *  #  * 

There  is  little  more  to  be  related.  Toby  left  this  vessel  at 
New  Zealand,  and  after  some  further  adventures,  arrived  home 
in  less  than  two  years  after  leaving  the  Marquesas.  He  always 
thought  of  me  as  dead — and  I  had  every  reason  to  suppose  that 
he  too  was  no  more ;  but  a  strange  meeting  was  in  store  for  us, 
one  which  made  Toby's  heart  all  the  lighter. 


London  :  Printed  by  WILLIAM  CLOWES  &  SONS,  Stamford  Street. 


PS  2 


